The witches who had tried to kill Samael had used these chains on him. With enough time, the sheer force of his power would have snapped them, but while Ihadpower, Samaelwaspower. I’d had a glimpse of it when he’d killed close to thirty witches with little more than a glance. And yet, those chains had blocked his ability to access that power. If they’d madeSamaelunable to access his power, I’d be completely helpless.
If Rose put those chains on me, I was screwed.
Betrayal stabbed through me like broken glass. Two and a half years I’d been a contractor for the council. Not only had they fired me, but now, they wanted to put fucking Naud chains on me?
I bared my teeth at Rose. “If the mages want me to answer some questions, I will. But if you think I’m wearing those chains, you’re dreaming.”
Not only were the chains guaranteed to render me powerless, but they were meant to humiliate me. The Mage Council did the same to Mella, the selkie who was chained in the facility’s library. Since they’d hidden her skin from her, she was already completely powerless, but they’d put her in chains anyway. Because they wanted to prove a point.
Look what happens to the people who betray us.
Rose planted her feet. “Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.”
“I’ve had a very bad day. I’ll come in, but I’m not wearing the chains. Don’t push me on this.”
“I can have backup here in two minutes.”
I laughed, and it echoed through the room. It didn’t sound anything like me. “Bring your backup,” I dared her. Then I dropped my shields.
Power greeted me like a long-lost lover, caressing every inch of my skin. It urged me to make an example of the bounty hunter who’d dared to try to chain me.
Rose went white. She was very still.Prey. That’s what she looked like.
“What about now? Would you like to chain me now, Rosie?”
Wow, unseelie power made me into kind of a dick.
But Rose wasn’t holding out the chains anymore. She handed them to another bounty hunter. Thebackup. He’d arrived while I’d been attempting to control the power that urged me to kill everyone in sight. I bared my teeth at him.
Then I packed my power away, shoving it down beneath my shields. It hurt.
“Let’s go.”
I followed them out of the store. Out the corner of my eye I saw movement. Vas.
His expression was hard as his gaze took in the bounty hunters behind me. I gave him a nod. I was fine.
He tilted his head disbelievingly and I nodded again. Last week, I’d taken Vas to the shooting range. It had been hilarious trying to teach a demon who was a walking weapon how to fire a gun. He was the only demon I still talked to, and the only good thing to come out of my deal with Samael.
I’d always been low on friends, and Vas was quickly becoming more like a brother.
A flap of invisible wings, and he was gone. I got in the back of Rose’s car and sat quietly. Rose got in the front, and I was small enough to enjoy the goosebumps that rose on the back of her neck.
Oh, she wouldn’t have had a problem with me behind her if she’d clamped Naud chains around my wrists and removed my ability to access my power. I refrained from telling her I didn’t need my power to kick her ass.
The Mage Council Facility was a few minutes’ walk away, and if Rose had been thinking clearly, she would’ve taken the opportunity to march me down Main Street and humiliate me further.
The short drive didn’t give me much time to consider my options, but I ran through them anyway. Option one: tell the mages about the kids. Cil and Zip would be questioned about whatever they saw. Unfortunately, I highly doubted the mages actually gave a shit about Gary. They were bringing me in to put me in my place. The kids would be further traumatized.
Option two: leave the kids out of it. Evie would keep them safe, and I could visit them when I was done being grilled by the mages. They’d be comfortable, surrounded by the witches who— while I couldn’t stand most of them— would probably be delighted to have kids in the house again.
Rose parked the car and I stepped out. I didn’t know the bounty hunter who’d been sending wary glances over his shoulder at me from the passenger’s seat. He must be new. He circled the car and approached me from behind. I snarled at him.
“If you think I’m going to allow you to walk that close to me, you’re wrong.”
If I gave these assholes an inch, they’d stab me in the back and have me in those chains before I could blink.
The bounty hunter gave me the side eye. He had six inches on me and his fist was the size of my face. He stood poised on the front of his feet as if ready to lunge at me. I’d pull him off balance and bury my knife in his gut before he got the chance.
