“It would have caused considerable pain and damage.” Dahlia’s voice had turned to black ice, the smallest thread of power deepening it and sending a shiver down my back.
Jennifer paid no attention to it, remaining unmoved. “It was a little thing. You can forgive it this once.”
Arguing with the bartender. Not only rude, but also idiotic.
She should have taken her friends and left without an argument. Now Dahlia was going to have to make an example of her. Foolish move.
I didn’t have to look around to know we were part of an ever-widening circle of interest. More and more people were taking notice of the weird little standoff.
A pair of men watched us with avid expressions. They were twins, nearly identical with hair longer than was considered fashionable. There was a weird shimmer over them indicating to me they were wearing some type of glamour. Dahlia’s ward prevented me from looking under it.
When they noticed my attention, one flashed me a panty-dropping smile before they both melted back into the crowd.
I sighed and debated the merits of interfering.
Caroline watched the drama unfolding with wide, avid eyes. Somehow, she’d gotten hold of a martini and was sipping on it, looking highly entertained.
I shook my head and waited to catch her eye before mouthing, “Where’s mine?”
She pointed to the martini and mouthed back, “This is yours.”
I gasped. That bitch. I’d make her pay. I sent her my best ‘I will get even with you later’ look. She giggled, not appearing intimidated in the least.
We’d see. I had mad revenge skills. I’d figure out her weakness and then strike like a revenge ninja.
I rolled my lips together to suppress a small snicker at the evilness of my plan. It was going to be so epic.
Jennifer’s attention jumped to me and she looked coldly furious. I glanced around in confusion wondering what I’d done to deserve such a look. It dawned on me that she thought I was laughing at her.
I shook my head at her to try and tell her she got it all wrong. If anything, it seemed to make things worse as her expression chilled, hate glimmering there.
Dahlia seemed to tire of waiting, her expression hardening slightly, making her seem like an ice princess about to pass judgment on the peasants. She remained remote and unmoving, not saying a word, as several tendrils of the faint black smoke drifted down from the ceiling.
Caroline’s eyes widened as they circled the other three.
The women were unaware as they breathed in the smoke, Jennifer and Ashley seeming triumphant at Dahlia’s lack of reaction, as if they thought they’d won the confrontation. Mary looked half-afraid, half-combative, as if she wanted to run but also wanted to tear me apart with her bare hands.
She was the first to notice the smoke, going as still as a rabbit glimpsing a snake.
The effects of the smoke were small at first. A coughing fit from Ashley, slightly labored breathing from Mary. Then Jennifer bent forward, gasping, as if she couldn’t get enough air. One hand came to her throat as she looked wildly around the room.
Dahlia’s face lacked any sympathy. “You were warned.”
Mary clutched the back of the seat and lowered herself down, her face turning bright red as she gasped, trying to get enough air in her lungs.
Jennifer collapsed to her knees, making small wheezing sounds.
Dahlia watched them, her expression remote. She really intended to kill them.
I looked around the room. Most seemed enthralled by the drama, their eyes bright with the promise of death. A few, however, looked alarmed. Humans most likely, ones on the verge of calling an ambulance.
I could leave Dahlia to finish giving her lesson. It was a tempting prospect. The witches probably deserved every inch of Dahlia’s ire. I had no doubt any kindness given to them would come back to bite me on the ass.
I’d been in this world long enough to know that whatever Jennifer had thrown at her friend hadn’t been kind. Worse, she’d done it so Mary wouldn’t reveal something, meaning it was related to me in some way.
Had it just been us here, I might have been able to let it go, let Dahlia extract any price she felt necessary, but we weren’t alone. Humans were watching, ones with cell phones with the ability to record. I didn’t need Dahlia suffering for this, whether from chancing our discovery or the humans spreading the word that this place was dangerous. Not when some of this encounter could be laid at my feet.
I leaned closer to Dahlia and said in a stage whisper. “If you choke them to death, they won’t be able to get up and leave on their own.”
