I adjust my hold, resting my cheek against the top of Nevaeh’s head. I hope the contact will help her Divine recognize me and heal her faster. I try and fail to keep myself from gently brushing a kiss on her forehead.
Nevaeh’s proximity is the only thing distracting me from the fury rising inside me. I had decided to spare the common residents and only punish the witches holding a rank, but now I’m rethinking my stance to keep this invasion moral.
I silently promise my mate that I will never let anyone hurt her again. This coven will pay for every bruise they left on her delicate body.
They will pay for every single scar—even the ones burned in her memory.
When we cross the coven’s barrier, I’m not surprised to find Hazel covered in blood from head to toe, leaning against the car while Grace anxiously paces in front of her.
Grace’s eyes widen at the sight of the two unconscious bodies. She rushes to Seiji, scanning the boy in horror as she tugs on her long cornrows to keep her panic at bay. “Please tell me that’s not his blood.”
“I don’t think so,” Seiji replies with a grimace. “Most of it is Nevaeh’s.”
Grace hides her trembling chin against my bicep, and I kiss the top of her head to offer some comfort. She always feels others’ pain like it’s her own.
“Where is Harvey?” Grace asks.
“There was no sign of him anywhere. I found traces of hisessence, but they were too old to track. Nevaeh might know more, but she’ll need rest and a thousand stitches before we can have that conversation.”
Hazel steps closer, silently taking inventory of every bruise. I already know she’s coming up with ways to repay the ones who did this… with interest, of course.
“I’m going to skin that voodoo-loving bitch alive.”
Straight to violence with this one.
Given the fragility of our situation, I urge everyone to hurry to the car so we can take off. I’m already planning our next move when the buzz of Hazel and Seiji bickering breaks through the calm in my head.
Grace is smart enough to know a fight is about to break out and gently takes the boy from Seiji, stepping back from the explosive airheads.
No. Please, Fates. I can’t do this right now.
“Anxo, why does he have the keys? I’m not getting in that car if Seiji is driving.”
“Then run home, bitch.”
Hazel is clearly not in the mood to suffer through Seiji’s driving, and after the day we’ve had, I’m on her side.
There have been too many incidents of Seiji running wild in the human realm for me to even consider letting him drive, especially not with Nevaeh and the little guy in the car.
My ears are already ringing before Hazel inhales a deep, calming breath. When words fail, Hazel startswhistling.
Grace covers the boy’s ears the best she can while absorbing the brunt of Hazel’s assault on our sanity. I can’t even shield Nevaeh with the way I’m holding her, so we are both stuck getting tortured.
Fates help me, or I’m going to lose my patience and kill them both.
“That doesn’t work on me! I don’t feel anything!” Seiji shouts over Hazel’s punishing tune.
“Yeah? Is that why you’re covering your ears?” Hazel retorts, thankfully bringing the torture to an end. The crazy siren isgoing to burst my eardrum one day.
“It’s because you don’t have any rhythm, and it makes my ears bleed! I don’t know many sirens, but thatcannotbe a gift.” Seiji fires back, shaking his head and swearing in Japanese, muttering that Hazel probably fried his brain.
You need a brain for that to happen, Seiji.
Most days, I feel like a single parent to these morons. Between breaking up their fights, dealing with their whining, tears, and dramatic tantrums, I’ve earned honorary single dad status.
It’s like a rehearsed routine now. Seiji annoys Hazel on purpose until she snaps and runs after him with her dagger, and then Grace comes to hide behind me as soon as the bloodbath begins.
“Do something, Anxo.” Grace steps in right on cue, taking cover behind me.
