“No, the woman Vivian was impersonating. Is she all right?”
I blinked and smiled softly at him. Of course, he'd ask about Bridget; he wasthatguy. “Yeah, they found Bridget in her room, passed out on her bed. I guess Vivian didn't have to kill her since she just needed a few minutes to trick you.”
“That's good,” he murmured. “So, Vivian drugged me and took me to Scotland? Why?”
“We're assuming you were bait. After she grabbed you, I used a song to find you and we got you back.”
“That simple, huh?” Verin grinned, his eyes warming to turquoise.
I looked away—his grin combined with those turquoise eyes were dangerous to my heart. “Not quite. As I said, Slate got drugged too and the rest of us had to fight our way through something called a slaughter room to reach you two.”
“A slaughter room?” He growled and looked me over. “Were you hurt?”
“No, I'm fine. I sang again.” I shrugged.
Verin relaxed and said dryly, “You sang again.”
“It's kinda my thing.”
“I noticed,” he whispered, his hand going to my cheek.
I froze, staring up at him. Our gazes met and locked; I couldn't look away this time. Verin's fingertips traced my jawline, then brushed my lips. My lips parted. His head lowered. My heart thudded in my throat. His scent filled my nose—salt and man and dragon musk. My hand went to his chest. I told myself it was to push him away but instead, it slid up his neck and then around to the back. I pulled him closer.
“El?” Slate called out.
Verin and I jumped apart.
“I'm here,” I called back and opened the door.
“Why am I in bed?” Slate asked as I hurried back into his room.
“Oh, uh.” I glanced over my shoulder but Verin was already gone. I sighed and went to sit on the bed beside Slate. “You got drugged, babe.”
“What?” Slate growled.
“Yeah.” I grinned. “And brace yourself because you're really going to hate this next part.”
“No.” Slate climbed out of bed furiously. “Do not tell me that I missed the fight.”
“Oh, you missedafight, of a sort, but notthefight,” I reassured him. “Vivian got away. We're going to speak to Osamu and Glinda as soon as you're ready. Then we'll hunt her down with the Coven.”
“Oh. Good.” He relaxed, then frowned. “So, what happened that I'm going to hate?”
“Cerberus had to carry you back.”
I laughed as Slate started cursing.
Chapter Forty-Five
Cerberus, Odin, my men, and I used our traveling stones to jump to Kyanite and then to Coven Cay while Verin used his coral ring to go directly to the island. Odin could have used his element, but he must have been conserving his energy because he chose to use his stone instead. We met Verin in front of the manor and then we followed Odin through the deserted corridors, past the occasional witch on their way to bed. It was late, but not yet past midnight; Glinda and Osamu shouldn't be too upset by our arrival. Their anger would doubtless come later, after we told them what we'd come to discuss.
Odin grabbed a member of the household staff and asked her to summon Osamu to Glinda's suite. The woman ran off as we continued to the Air wing of the mansion. Each elemental family had its own section of the sprawling school/headquarters and every family leader had the best digs in their wing. Glinda's rooms were on the top floor, which is where Air Witches preferred to be. In the Earth Wing, it was the opposite and Odin had his suites on the first floor.
We had to split into three groups to take the elevator to Glinda's floor and yet I still ended up pressed between more muscles than that space had been built to accommodate. It was only a short ride but still long enough for me to find the situation amusing. A bunch of buff, immortal badasses wedged in like sardines around little ol' me—who, if I'm honest, was enjoying myself immensely—all of them doing the elevator-stare at the number pad as they tried not to touch each other inappropriately while simultaneously taking advantage of the situation to touch me as inappropriately as possible. I might have laughed if I hadn't been heading to a meeting to accuse one of my oldest friends of betrayal and attempted murder.
“Gage, will you please stop wriggling?” Slate ground out.
“I can't help it, Elaria's ass is pressed against my cock.”
