“Kenji says he can get in undetected.” He’d not explained how, but I trusted my familiar not to throw himself in harm’s way. Kenji was many things, but self-sacrificing was not one of them.
My bear turned to look at the kitsune. “Really?”
“Kitsunes are very secretive,” Zane said. “Little is known about their powers. But I have heard rumors about a cunning little kitsune who’s been targeting the high-ranking mages for months now. Stealing important artifacts and jewelry.” He fixed Kenji with a look that said he knew Kenji was the perpetrator of this crime wave.
Kenji blinked and pulled his most innocent expression.
“You’d better not get arrested!”
He smirked. “Not a chance, witch. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a grimoire to steal. I’ll need a description of it unless you want me to fetch Montgomery’s tentacle porn collection.”
“Gross, no.” I turned to Zane. “Kenji wants to know what the grimoire looks like?”
“It’s bound in skin and has a Hawthorne tree burned into the cover.”
“Super gross. Stars above, why would a witch family use skin as a binding?”
“Because one of the many things they did to those who refused to yield to their power was flay that person alive while using magic to ensure they didn’t pass out during the process.”
My stomach heaved in horror at the unwanted visual Zane painted.
“I think perhaps the Hawthorne witch deserved her fate.”
“She certainly made many enemies while alive.”
Shoving down thoughts of flayed victims, I said to Kenji, “So you’re sure you can do this without being caught?”
He rolled his eyes obnoxiously. “Purleease. I’m a professional.”
My phone pinged with a message from Glynda.
“Okay, the office is empty.” Kenji blinked away, leaving me squirming under Maverick’s furious gaze.
“I’m still waiting for someone to tell me why we’re plotting to rescue a missing vampire prince?”
“Um, about that…”
“Rasmus Dvorak is her fifth mate.”
Maverick spun to face Zane. “Fifth?!” I noted he didn’t ask about the others, which suggested he already knew, or at least suspected.
Being the sort of witch who had an extreme allergy to conflict, I tried to edge away, but Maverick scooped me up and wrapped his arms around me like a vise. The bear vibrated, his body rigid with tension.
Misery slammed into me.
This was all my fault. I should have been upfront with him instead of sticking my head in the sand. Even though I had ignored myattractions to both Alaric and Kai, it was unfair to expect Maverick to remain mated only to me if I had other mates.
Shifters embraced poly relationships where having multiple mates was the norm. I wondered if Maverick wanted to take other females as well as me. It wasn’t as if I had a leg to stand on if he did.
“If you want other mates,” I told him through gritted teeth, “I won’t complain.” Okay, so I’d be heartbroken and probably murder them all in an unexplained magical fire, but I bit my lip and pretended to be mature and eager to embrace a non-normal relationship dynamic.
Zane could tell I was full of shit. His smirk turned into laughter, which did nothing to calm my bear.
“Why the fuck would you think I’d want other mates?” Maverick snarled while squeezing me tighter. A pained squeak broke free as my ribs legit cracked.
“I don’t! Truthfully, I only want you!” Zane stopped laughing and his lips flattened in a line. “And maybe him too,” I added while peeking at the incubus through my lashes. The way he relaxed at my words surprised me. I’d never imagined he gave a shit, but perhaps there was more to the incubus than met the eye.
“And the other three,” I added in a whisper so soft I prayed nobody but me heard. Only I wasn’t that lucky. Shifters had exceptional hearing, and my bear was exceptional in all ways.
