Page 49 of Sticks and Stones and Broken Bones

I scoffed. “Well wear a shirt next time.”

“Why?” he asked, his head cocked to one side. “Is it distracting? Do you want to touch?”

Had it suddenly gone hotter? “No.”

He stepped closer and shit, the guy was tall. Like a foot taller than me. How had I not noticed that? Probably because I’d never let him stand so close.

His grin was wicked as he leant closer. “It’s okay, vulpe. You can touch if you want.”

“Absolutely not. Fuck you.” I stepped around him and headed towards Nox and Korbin.

“Only if you ask nicely,” he crooned from behind me.

I ignored the shudder that traipsed up my spine and continued to catch up with the others.

“What was all that about?” Nox asked.

“Nothing,” I snapped and Korbin, the asshole, just laughed. “Which house is it?”

“Number 13,” Korbin said. “It should be the last house on the end.”

“13?” I snorted. “Seriously?” Could you get any more witchy?

“Lucky for some,” Hawk muttered in his deep drawl.

It was a quiet little place in Malificavae, no more than a long street with a few houses and a corner shop. Although this was a corner shop in a village of witches, so it wasn’t exactly the place to get bread and milk.

Raevyn’s house looked like an ordinary house. There was nothing different about it. A blue front door, four windows and a little thatched roof. It was perfect for a postcard. Except for the eerie magic I could feel surrounding it. Like a dampening spell or some kind of cloaking spell. My mind fluttered back to the story Raevyn told us and my blood boiled. Were these silencing spells to keep the neighbours from hearing the screams?

“Fucking animals,” I spat. How could they? How could they hurt my beautiful little bird.

“Keep it together, Casimir, or you can wait out here.” Korbin fixed his dead eyes on me, and I could see the same hatred in his face. “We don’t know if the mother was treated the same way.”

“Considering she let her daughter die, I’d say that was enough to warrant her death,” Nox said, echoing my own thoughts. “Or at least some serious maiming.”

“Nevertheless,” Korbin placated, “we’re not here to judge. We’re here to ask questions. What if we kill her and Raevyn didn’t want that? What then?”

“Fine,” I grumbled. “I’ll play nice.” For now, at least. There was no telling what would happen after the questioning.

Nox took Korbin’s hand and placed it on his shoulder to lead him into the house. Then he threw a grin my way. “Let’s get some answers for our girl.”

I felt Deimos stir a little as I walked up the stone steps towards the front door.

I really hoped he stayed in his cage.

No promises, love came the whispered words from deep in my mind.

Fucking fuckity fuck. He was getting stronger.

But that was a problem for later. Or maybe I’d just ignore it like everything else he did. That would work. Yep. Definitely.

I reached for the doorknob and turned it, surprised when it opened, and the door swung inwards.

“Spooky,” Nox said.

I crossed the threshold and felt the magic caress my skin, assessing me for a threat. It was a simple spell, but I could feel the power in it. It was strong and I suddenly dreaded to think what it would do to us if the spell found us wanting.

I listened quietly, hearing the soft crackle of a small fire and bubbles popping in a potion. I followed the hallway and the putrid scent of decaying lilies until I emerged into a large open plan kitchen.

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