“What did you do to Zoe?” Olivia stormed into the room, followed by Stan and Luke. Her red hair flew behind her in a mass of tangled curls.
“She’s alive.” Weak-kneed, Jack stood, and leaned against a wall.
Olivia ordered Luke to carry the woman to the daybed. The younger man obeyed, his face skewed in a snarl.
"Thought we lost you out there." Stan looked him over, smiled and slapped him on the back, his eyes moist with unshed tears.
Jack nodded. He had to admit, that waswaytoo close.
Olivia pursed her lips and placed her hand on the woman's forehead.
“Is she okay?” Jack asked, rubbing his chest.
“Aura’s fairly normal…for her…but she’s suffering deep exhaustion from an extreme energy burn.”
He took a step forward and staggered. Stan caught him by the elbow, steadying him.
“Sit down before you break something,” Olivia ordered, pointing at a chair. She crossed the room and placed a cool palm on Jack’s cheek. A familiar pulse of energy coursed through him. As she read his health, her eyes went wide, and then narrowed. “What went on here?”
“Let’s just say she has a very unusual healing technique, and she cut it way too close.” He was still reeling from the effects of the energy blast, followed by the vortex, and the foul tasting tea. There was something else he needed to remember, but couldn’t put his finger on it.Shit, what was it?
Olivia eyed him a bit more closely and glared like a first grade teacher. “I’m not sure what just happened in here but I can sure as hell tell it wasn’t good. When I agreed to take care of your clan, you assured me it was for easygoing solstice quarrels. I thought you guys were above this level of stupidity. Didn’t we both agree that dueling was archaic?”
His eyes narrowed at her tone. “Itisarchaic! Tonight, I saved Luke from an underage witch-ling. She was out trolling for a mate and she hooked him. When I tried to separate the two, he gave me one minor, albeit painful, shot.”
He glared at Luke who shrugged and glanced at the floor.
“Then, while I was catching my breath, someone tried to assassinate me. I never even saw it coming." Jack shook his head, then winced at the pain the action sent shooting through his skull. "It was a hell of a night. Worst ever. God, I hate solstice.”
“Did you recognize who did it?” Olivia’s brows furrowed.
"Didn't see him." Jack scrubbed his fingers over his face. “Never felt that kind of power before.”
She frowned, put both hands to his chest, and closed her eyes. Her healing energy hit him like a good night’s sleep followed by jolt of strong coffee.
He sucked in every bit she offered.
Straitening, she put her hands on her hips.
"Your assistant did an oddly adept job of healing me, then collapsed and banged her head." He snuck a look at the woman on the bed. "Are you sure she’s okay?”
Olivia glanced over briefly, then back at him. "She'll be fine."
"Good." There was something about her that piqued his interest.
“What aren’t you telling me?” Olivia cocked her head and waited for the truth, which he had no intention of giving.
He'd never seen a vortex before, let alone one with healing powers.
“What?” He feigned his most innocent look.
“Zoe hasn’t shownanyknack for healing." Liv shook her head. "No matter. I’ll get the truth out ofyou, later.” She turned to Stan and Luke and covered her nose. “Whatever hit Jack caused an evil aura mess and the stink has rubbed off on you. I’ll blend some tea and bring it down to the beach. The ocean breeze should clean up the rest.”
“But we were just out there and it’s cold.” Luke whined more like the kid Jack remembered than the eighteen-year-old he’d just saved from a greedy teenage paranormal.
Jack snorted. “Don’t argue with Olivia or she’ll conjure up something that will make you sorry you did. Besides, you probably still need a little cooling off.”
Stan mumbled something about snotty healers as they headed out the door. Olivia shut it firmly behind them and the bells on the door clanged as if in agreement.
