Peter walked into the house as if he owned the place. Another ball of gray light clung to the palm of his hand, ready for action.
Abi slithered inside behind Peter. Nash took up the rear.
Mallor lay on the couch. The fall had injured him more severely than Nash had intended. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Pain etched itself into the lines of his face. When he saw Nash, he paled. But it was when he saw Peter that he shook. His eyes widened, and then he screamed. “Get me out of here! Get me out of here!”
Four warlocks stood in Vaeris’s living room. They all wore black dusters. One Abi seemed to recognize. He must have been the one who had hurt Nash. Abi’s bloodthirstiness kicked up about three notches.
Abi lunged at a man who had white hair and pale blue eyes, spitting something into the warlock’s face.
The warlock had been working with his magic, forming it into a ball of fire, but all that stopped when he screamed and rubbed the venom from his eyes.
Peter threw his magic at one of the other two.
Nash finally reacted, shifting his hands into claws and attacking the closest warlock to him. He ripped into the man’s throat.
The man clutched his throat, trying to breathe through the blood that pooled into his esophagus.
The last warlock lunged at Nash, but Abi was faster. Abi shifted into his human form. His eyes were reptilian still. He put himself between the warlock and Nash. “Hurt him. I dare you.” Abi grinned. “I want you to try.”
The warlock’s mistake was panicking. Abi took advantage when he hesitated to pull up his magic. When he attacked, it was quick. The warlock’s death was swift, with one snap of his neck. Abi didn’t waste much energy on him, though. He saved most of it for Mallor.
Peter pointed to a closed door. “Your friend is in there. He’s not alive. I’m sorry.”
Nash went to the door, even though everything in him said not to. But he turned the doorknob and pushed it open. Vaeris lay on the bed, fully clothed, face down.
They didn’t even use magic on him. It was a single gunshot to his head. He’d fallen on the bed. Vaeris held his phone in his hand.
The screen was black. Nash took the phone. He pushed the button on the side, bringing the phone to life. After fumbling with the password, he unlocked it. He saw his own name on the screen. Vaeris was about to call him right before he died.
Maybe they had taken him by surprise. Maybe Vaeris had betrayed Nash but then regretted it. Maybe he never betrayed Nash at all. Nash would never know for sure, but he would like to think of Vaelis as a loyal person. He’d been Nash’s oldest friend.
He put the phone on the bed beside Vaeris and left the room.
When he made his way back into the living room, Peter sat in a well-loved chair and watched Abi as though he were a proud father.
Nash leaned against the wall. If Peter was bothered by Nash’s nakedness, he didn’t show it.
Abi perched on Mallor’s prone chest as though he were a bird. He shifted his hands into dragon claws.
Abi turned and met Nash’s gaze. “I like your claws, Daddy.”
He wiggled his fingers, showing Nash they were just like his.
Nash winked at him, but his head was still in the bedroom with Vaeris. His heart felt heavy.
Abi cut Mallor on his chest and watched the blood bead on Mallor’s skin. He met Mallor’s gaze. “Should I go deeper?”
Mallor was clearly panicking.
“I think I should.”
Mallor screamed when Abi cut across his chest, opening it until a deep gash formed.
“I see bone.” Abi tilted his head. “Let’s talk about your associates.”
Mallor was very quick to give up the people who had helped him for so long. “There’s a list. In my…In my house.” Mallor gave them the address.
Peter was already on it. He’d have his guys there inside an hour, tearing the place apart. And then he’d kill every one of Mallor’s associates.
