“At my place, with a friend.” When Clayton had returned with his new entourage, he’d thought it best to come to the chapter house to explain things alone, so he’d set everyone up at his place.
When he got to the chapter house, he was somewhat less than surprised to see it buzzing with activity. Samantha had returned from her errand, and Marshall and his team had returned successfully with everyone intact from whatever the hell they’d been up to.
Once again, they had saved the day, and, honestly, why wasn’t Cym throwing himself at Marshall right now in gratitude for taking him on as a student? What was he thinking? Was Cym’s soldier so special that he could just ignore what was right in front of him?
Witches. Who knew what they were thinking?
What surprised Clayton was that Samantha actually managed to make time for him in the hustle and bustle of team Fire’s return. Not only had she made time, but she seemed genuinely excited to help. Samantha was such a good friend.
“I found them!” She pulled her head out of the impossibly deep drawer and showed off her find.
In one hand, she held a ball. She shook it, and it began to sparkle and shimmer with a rainbow of colors. He took it, and it blazed with light. Swearing, he dropped it, and Samantha gave him an odd look.
“It only reacts like that to powerful magic…” she mused thoughtfully.
Ha! In your face, Fang Boy!
However, since his power was to be a walking disaster, Clayton would be okay with being less powerful.
Picking up the ball, Samantha placed it in a velvet bag and gave it back to Clayton. “Give this to Tommy, and tell him he’s welcome to visit here anytime. They both are.” Tucked in the crook of her arm was a doll with black hair and warm, brown eyes, just like Samantha. She handed it to him too. “This is for Merry.”
“Thank you, Sam.” Clayton would have said more, but for some reason, the back of his throat was prickly.
“I know it’s cliché giving a little girl a doll, but I adored her when I was young, and I’d love to find her a new person to look after. There’s a spell in her that tells her caretakers when her owner is in trouble. She protected me when I was little, and now she can protect Merry.”
Clayton’s face went hot, then cold, then hot again, and his mouth moved, but no sound came out.
“Go on now, Clayton. Go back to your family and get them settled. I’ll handle things here until the weekend. And make sure to tell me if you need anything!” Samatha shooed him out of her office.
Clayton nodded and didn’t run out of the room. No, he exited gracefully and manfully.
Time to go home.
Chapter
Eight
MAL
SIX WEEKS LATER
“No phone calls during ahhhhnevermindI’msorry!” The flight attendant fled before Mal even had to look at him.
Heh. Mal had that effect on people, and he didn’t hate it one bit. He also didn’t hate that it was so strong that people didn’t bother him unless they absolutely had to.
When Mal was pissed off, almost no one had the guts to interact with him. His flight attendant must have had a set of brass ones to even try, because Mal was currently livid.
Fucking fuck that fucking little fuck from Boston. Mal was STARVING, and he had things to do. He didn’t have time for this fucking bullshit.
He punched a number he shouldn’t know into a phone no member of the Other should be able to touch without frying itinto oblivion. When a prim, overly-educated voice greeted him, Mal snapped, “What?”
There was some very proper-sounding stammering, and then Mal received an indignant, “What do you mean, what?Youcalledme.”
Mal’s lips quirked in amusement without his permission. There was something about the awkward, lanky guardian wannabe that got under Mal’s skin in a way he couldn’t ignore. Even through his extreme hunger and irritation, he couldn’t help but needle the man. “Are you sure about that?”
“I’m fairly certain I didn’t, considering I don’t have a phone.”
Mal snorted and couldn’t help but ask, “Then what are you talking on right now?”
