Page 42 of Magic of the Damned

“Most of what’s in The Discovery of Magic isn’t remotely true,” he said drily.

“I know, but the factual information about supernaturals is even more difficult to process. The most complex thing about all the new information is you.”

Amusement flashed. “Me?”

“Yep. I need to know about your magic as it relates to other supernaturals. How similar is it? You can go between here and my world, a version of what vampires can do. You can do spells, control elements, and…” Helena could grow claws and slice and dice people like a well-dressed wolverine. What she did wasn’t exactly shifter-ish, but it was an aspect of it. Dominic traveled through the worlds with ease, and he possessed strong magical abilities. “Helena has claws. Do you? Can you shift like the shifters? One minute, will I be standing in front of you, a man—or whatever you are—and the next I need to give you a raw steak or doggie treat to distract you from attacking?”

His lips twitched but he didn’t give in to the smile. He put down his glass. His eyes remained trained on me as he pushed from his chair and walked to me. His eyes locked with mine as his index finger elongated and the nail extended into a gruesome and scary-looking claw.

A sharp breath caught in my throat when he ran it along my neck with so much control that it was a feather touch grazing over my skin. A shiver ran through me when he leaned in closer.

“I can’t shift into an animal, so no treats necessary,” he whispered, his warm breath teasing my bottom lip. The solitary claw vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Once he had eased away, I grabbed another chocolate from the platter, slowly unwrapping it from the gold paper, and popped it in my mouth. He wouldn’t get the satisfaction of either my fear or my intrigue.

“Continue,” I told him. “I don’t need the watered-down version.”

He didn’t immediately speak. Perhaps he was debating how much to share with me. I forced a look of impassivity and waited patiently.

“Unlike the shifters, silver doesn’t bother me. My magic is strong, comparable to a Strata Three witch, but I can’t control the weather and I don’t possess any techno-magical abilities. I don’t have seer abilities, either, which is why we employ Nailah… who seems to have a soft spot for you.” His eyes sharpened on me, his lips pulling into a thin, tight line. Nailah’s information sharing hadn’t gone unnoticed. “I’m skilled at spell casting, but to the witches’ disappointment, I do not share their weakness to iridium.”

“But you do have weaknesses?”

He chuckled. “Of course, but none that I care to share.”

“You can zone?”

He shook his head. “Unlike the vampires, I don’t zone. I can only move between the Underworld and another location. For example, if I travel to your apartment, I must return home first before going to another destination.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. The disclosure of his limitation and information was clearly a struggle for him. He took a slow sip of wine. Both of us were in a state of wary apprehension. It weighed so heavily on me, it was doubtful that I kept it from my expression.

“Go on, Luna,” he urged. Averting my gaze to the garden, I tried to work out how to make my request in a persuasive way. This was a delicate dance.

“We both want this over and I just can’t totally stop my life to be at your beck and call, and I’m sure you have other responsibilities as well. I believe it would be advantageous to us both if I didn’t have to rely on you or Anand to travel here.”

“You’d like to come to the Underworld freely, without an escort?” He seemed surprised.

“Not indefinitely. Just until the spells are undone. Then we return to our normal lives. You imprisoning the most horrible of the supernaturals while apparently pissing off the others, and me to my family, friends, job, and normal life with none of this.” I waved my hand, including him in it along with the mystical garden. It was a place of unique beauty that under any other circumstances I would have found enchanting.

“Is that what you truly want?” he asked. That confirmed he hadn’t destroyed all the Trapsens; he just didn’t want anyone else to have one.

My mind was winding around everything Nailah told me. Despite my suspicion that he was aware of everything she’d disclosed, I was committed to not betraying any of her confidences. I had to navigate delicately.

I nodded. Without Dominic and Anand being so entwined in my daily life, if things went into a downward spiral, I could escape. I had four thousand dollars in my savings account. It wouldn’t get me far, but I could lie low enough to figure things out.

“And?” he asked. “There seems to be more, Luna.” Relaxing back against the chair, he stared at me, cold wariness moving over his face. The smoldering fire in his eyes sent chills through me.

“I have every intention of helping you undo the spells, but I need to know that my friends and family are safe. No more erasing their memories?—”

“I didn’t erase his memories, I simply manipulated aspects of it so he would forget the ring and what you told him.”

“Exactly. I want to protect the people I care about from that. Leave them out of this. I need you to make that oath to me and that whatever happens, I come out on the other side, alive and unharmed.”

It was a big ask. Go big or go home. Although going home wasn’t really an option.

Dominic’s jaw clenched like he was biting back words. Was he about to deny the request or stop himself from agreeing?

“He won’t make such a promise to you,” Helena hissed, a wine bottle in one hand and partially filled oversized wine glass in the other. She had changed into a shimmering, billowy, mint-green, long-sleeve dress. The severe bun she’d pulled her hair into made her features appear sharper.

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