He shakes his head.“No girlfriends.I also only date men.How very presumptuous.That’s not very ‘queer ally’ of you.”
I nearly choke on air.After looking away, I mutter.“I don’t assume anything.”When I look back at his blue eyes, I add, “And I’m more than an ally.I’m gay, too, remember?”
Taz’s grin falters for just a moment, giving me a confidence boost.Is it possible this flirty conversation is affecting him, too?
There’s no time to dwell on that with Taz walking backward out of the cafeteria.“Right.Well, hop to it, Lulu.We’ve got bad guys to apprehend.”
With a frown, I ball up my fists as I follow him.Growing up, I loathed that nickname.This time, however, it fills me with an unfamiliar sense of warmth.Taz keeps rewriting the rules of our rivals-slash-coworker dynamic, but I don’t think I mind anymore.
“Another church?”Necia asks as I park the rental car.It’s dark out here in the Louisiana forest.While the swampland is several yards away, it’s so humid, we might as well be walking through a river.
“Organized religion is their MO,” Max says.“Gather people, steal their funds, claim sacrifices, and power up dark magic.Mega churches are perfect for it.”
“Even worn-down ones like this,” I murmur.The massive building is one story, but with the overgrowth and inconsistent paint job, it’s clearly seen better days.
“This place is so gross, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s only used for the cult,” Necia says.
“It’s better than the barn, I suppose,” Taz says.He shivers as we make it to the front door.“Still gives me the creeps.”
“Welcome to being an honorary agent of SPELL.”Necia shoots him a facetious grin.
“Speaking of which, here.”I hand Taz a tiny earpiece.If I’m not mistaken, he takes his time holding my palm, grinning at me all the while.I try to ignore the sparks flowing between us and bite back a smile.Even in the middle of a mission, I can’t deny how much I want to kiss Taz Devries.
That thought would have been horrifying two months ago, but nowadays, it’s a reality I’m beginning to reconcile.Holding his hand back in Montreal, we both hesitated to let go.I wonder if he wants me, too…
I clear my throat.“Stay sharp and stay connected,” I say, pointing at my earpiece.
“Aye, aye, Captain,” he whispers before donning his own piece.I swear he winks at me, but I could just be imagining what I want to see.
When I walk through the door, my eyes squint, getting used to the darkness.It’s silent, and there are no lights on or candles lit.
“No one’s here,” Max announces a few yards ahead of us.We shine our flashlights, and everything seems in place.It’s a shabby-looking church, with worn-down pews and disheveled books.
“Intel said dark magic activity was detected here earlier today,” Necia says.
“Last time they were by the altar, but this one looks abandoned,” Max says.Indeed, the front has a dusty table, but no candles, chairs, or religious paintings.
“This is a megachurch.There ought to be hallways of rooms hiding who-knows-what,” I say.
“Do you feel that?”We turn to Taz to see his fingers glowing purple.I ought to chastise him for using a detection spell out in the open, but we’re alone in this disheveled church.
“Yeah, I get it now,” Necia adds, waving her palm in front of her.“Some type of dark magic.”
“It feels like an Other Side rift,” Taz says.
“Not possible.We would have detected a dimensional rift if there was one here,” I say.
“Nothing’s impossible nowadays,” Taz murmurs.
“Maybe another possession,” Necia says.She and Max approach the right wing while Taz and I move to the left.“Should we split up?”
“Alright.We’ll explore this side of the church, then hit the perimeter,” I say.
“Copy,” Max replies, and the others disappear from my sight.
Once again, Taz and I are walking towards potential imminent danger.Still, being next to him in the dark is thrilling…
Focus.We’re on a mission, and the others are on the earpiece, listening to our every move.
