Page 8 of Disabling Relics for Dummies
Ravyn and I were both paying careful attention to the stars and our tarot decks. Something major was coming. A rare, full lunar eclipse that hadn’t happened in six hundred and fifty years was scheduled to happen again in a few weeks. So it really didn’t bode well for us we found some written, oral history that had been passed down in Norway that the supernatural community used the power of the last total lunar eclipse to wipe out the Cult of the Aether sisters for good.
It meant something, but we didn’t know what yet.
Valentine was supposed to be meeting Boris, the museum’s warehouse guy, to move his shipment into a safe place until Ravyn and I could get to them and start diffusing anything dangerous. He should have been there now.
Ravyn had never been an early riser like her sister. Before all this, she’d hit her snooze button until the last minute, then drag herself out of bed with just enough time to shower and make a thermos of tea. She never had time to make breakfast, and she’d be complaining she was hungry in two hours. She’d been campaigning for a vending machine for the staff since she got hired, but the board thought modern vending machines in a century’s old architectural feat like the museum was tacky. I didn’t know about tacky, but I knew for damned sure the ghosts at the museum would have had a field day with it.
I had thumbs now, and I woke up the first time her alarm went off. I guess getting up early was still ingrained in me. I always eased out of bed and ensured she had a proper English breakfast, even if I had to pack it up and bring it with us because she wanted five more minutes of sleep. Minerva Krauss converted her to a tea drinker during their independent study, and I knew exactly how she liked it.
I couldn’t hear the shower running, so it was a five more minutes type of morning. I started packing up breakfast for both of us when someone started pounding on the front door. Someone had better be dying. Anyone that knew Ravyn knew better than to knock on the door this early. It was a good way to get murdered. It was best not to even talk to her until she had at least half her thermos of tea in her.
I was still in my boxers, but I walked over and flung open the front door to see who had the sheer audacity to knock this early. I was expecting someone from the Paranormal Investigation Bureau because no one else was that stupid.
“Who the fuck are you?” Valentine growled.
Okay, first of all, he hadno rightto go all possessive growly wolf over Ravyn after what he did to her. He hadn’t seen her in years. Valentine sent her that signed book then ghosted her. She tried to call him and demand answers why he felt the need to mail her that book, but he never picked up. Valentine pretended like she didn’t exist until he needed her expertise and the museum.
Did he even pay attention to her at all when he was here the first time? I gave them their privacy, even though I couldn’t stand him. Her sleeping habits had been the same since she was a teenager. She fell hard for Valentine, but she wasn’t about to get up early for him.
“Nope. No way. You’re supposed to be at the warehouse right now. You’d better get your ass off the front porch and go there now before I make you.”
“You’re dual natured. That’s fascinating. I’d love to know who made you,” a deep velvety voice said.
I peered over Valentine’s shoulder to see who he had brought with him. There was no way this person could have known I was a warlock who could turn into a bat. The only person on this planet like me was Felix, and when I was around him, his aura and everything about him just screamed warlock. I sensed nothing different from him when he was standing right next to Gabriel.
“I don’t know who the fuck you are, but you both need to be at the warehouse.”
“How are you going to stop me, pipsqueak? You aren’t her type. As soon as she sees me, it’s going to be you that gets kicked out, and you don’t have any clothes on.”
The man with Valentine, who knew I was dual natured had the aura of a warlock. He was just as tall as Reyson but not quite so built. I could tell he was quite powerful. He radiated with it. And he seemed to find this entire exchange hilarious.
“We should leave, Valentine. I wouldn’t underestimate this one because you’re bigger than him. You’re going to lose.”
He wasn’t wrong. I could beat Valentine with my fists or my magic. I was trained in fighting styles that weren’t really taught anymore. Valentine wouldn’t know how to defend himself. He’d go for brute strength, and I’d annihilate him.
I only read a bit of his book over Ravyn’s shoulder before I couldn’t stand it anymore. According to Valentine, he could pleasure any woman, and he’d never lost a fight. I was pretty sure he got his arse beat plenty of times, and that was the real reason they had never run him out of town.
Valentine didn’t like hearing he would lose, especially to some green haired warlock he thought was beneath him. He exploded and took a wild swing at my face. I was so hoping he gave me an excuse because I was the one who was with Ravyn after he sent her that signed book and then ghosted her. I knew she had plans, and they were probably subtle, but he could do with a good face punching, and technically he started it.
I darted underneath his fist and gave him a quick jab to the kidneys. I kicked the back of his knees with my bare foot, and he went down. The insane warlock Valentine had with him was laughing like a madman and cheeringmeon, even though Valentine was the one paying his salary. Valentine was petty enough to fire him for that, and if this warlock had spentanytime around him, he would know that.
He just didn’t appear to give a shit. I kind of liked him.
“What the hell is this?” Ravyn demanded.
She was standing in the doorway with bedroom hair and the sexy lingerie she liked to sleep in. We all just kind of stopped to stare at her for a minute. She was glorious in that little black lace number in all her fury. Even the crazy warlock wasn’t talking.
He finally stepped forwards and offered Ripley his hand.
“I’m Doctor Key. It’s lovely to meet you finally. I hear you’re totally brilliant, and I’m curious about your green haired boyfriend. I told Valentine it was a bad idea to come over here before work and surprise you. Unfortunately, your utterly fascinating beau asked him to leave, and things got heated. So we’ll be going back to where weshouldhave been—overseeing things at the warehouse. Come on, Valentine. I warned you.”
The big sulky wolf limped off with Doctor Key, and Ravyn kissed me before I knew what was happening. This was our first kiss, and I was going to make damned sure it was a good one, even if I wasn’t quite sure what I did to deserve it. I probably ruined whatever revenge plans she was working on with that brawl.
She pulled away and buried her face in my neck.
“Thanks. I don’t want him in my cottage. Did he hurt you?”
“He didn’t get a chance, but his knees are going to hurt, and he might piss blood for a little while. Doctor Key is fuckingweird.He was rooting me on, and heorderedValentine to leave, and he just did it. He knew I’m dual natured, and I can’t tell that Felix is when I’m around him.”
