As soon as Nash shifted, Abi threw himself into Nash’s arms. Abi’s hands were in his hair, and his tongue was in Nash’s mouth.
Nash had a warlock friend who lived nearby, who warded the area against magic. He needed to keep Abi safe against anything Mallor would do in retaliation. And he was glad he did because Abi’s reaction to the flight was a huge distraction. Mallor was an afterthought.
Abi broke the kiss long enough to pull his shirt over his head. And he would have opened his pants if not for someone clearing their throat.
It was Landry. He threw Mallor over his shoulder and carried him to the house.
Everyone was there, even Raylee and Jude, who looked as though they would start fucking too if given half an invitation.
Jonik had Wren tucked under his arm.
“Clothes?” Daruss asked and pulled his boys away from the show Nash and Abi had inadvertently put on.
“There’s a bunch of stuff in the cabin. The last bedroom on the left, up the stairs. In the dresser. Stay out of the closet.”
“Why? What’s in the closet?” Daruss sniffed the air as if trying to figure out what was so special about the place. Nash hadn’t taken anyone there before, not even his Dragon Skull brothers.
“That’s my parents’ stuff.” No one had been in that closet since their death. “Make yourselves at home, otherwise. I called ahead and had an old friend stock the place with supplies. There should be plenty for everyone.”
Daruss nodded and led his boys inside.
Landry and Enzo stopped. Enzo looked at Mallor. “Does he need medical attention?”
“No. But you can start digging a hole for his body.” Nash smiled at Abi.
Enzo growled. “No, thanks,” he mumbled. Nash thought for sure he’d get some pushback. Enzo was a doctor. His instinct was to heal, not to kill. Even he could see the merit in killing someone like Mallor.
Abi met his gaze. “What is this place?”
“I grew up here. I lived with Daruss after that for most of my teenage years. I haven’t left the Dragon Skulls since then, but I’ve come back here for a week at a time. It used to be harder, but it’s gotten easier over the years. It is quiet. Peaceful.”
“Will it be those things? With Mallor here?”
“The first time Mallor was here, he killed my parents right over there.” Nash pointed to the spot.
“He took you from here?” Abi sucked in a breath and then pressed his cheek against Nash’s. “Oh, gods.”
“It seemed fitting that Mallor would die here.” Nash sighed and then pointed to the forest. “There’s a warlock coven not far from here. About ten miles north. Mallor had been visiting. He saw my brother and me in town with my mom at the general store buying supplies. Followed us, watched us for weeks, and eventually took us after killing our parents.”
Abi cupped his cheeks with both hands. “You’re right. If this is where it started, then this is also where it should end.”
Jonik came out of the cabin. “There are no supplies, Nash.”
Seryn came out of the forest. “There aren’t any wards either.”
That was the first sign that something was wrong. Very, very wrong.
Chapter Twenty-Six
One minute, they were talking, and the next, Abi watched as Nash’s face turned to horror. Nash did a one-eighty, and that was when Abi saw the warlocks. There were four of them. They all wore dark clothing, as if trying to blend into the night. Except the sun had just started showing itself again.
One of the warlocks threw a fireball. Abi watched it sail through the air and hit Nash in the back.
Nash hissed and arched. It was the pain on Nash’s face that finally registered what was happening.
One of Nash’s Dragon Skull brothers reacted quickly, returning fire. Abi thought his name was Seryn. He was sleek like a vampire, but he had an incredible amount of power. He took out the warlock with fire of his own. Their other opponents returned fire. Seryn held them off, but three against one wasn’t a fair fight. Not with warlocks so strong.
“Oh, fuck.”
