Page 59 of Commanding Chaos

“So what if it is?” Ash crossed her arms. “Why are you here?”

“I was suspicious. Something is off about him, and I’m going to find out what it is.” He matched Ash’s posture. “No witch can see through my magic. What are you?”

“What in Hecate’s name?” Ember stood in the doorway and glanced at each of us. “Do I even want to know?”

“Shade broke into your home and cloaked himself in shadow.” Anger ignited in my chest. “How dare you violate these women in their private space?”

He laughed dryly. “I’m not the one who did the violating. Did she beg for it? Did she show you the notches on her headboard?”

My hands clenched into fists. He walked a razor-thin line with his disrespect, and I would not tolerate more.

“That’s enough.” Ember paced into the room. “What’s going on?”

He gestured to the disturbed bedding. “They were obviously banging.”

“For goddess’s sake, Shade.” Ash opened a drawer and put on underwear and sweatpants beneath her robe. “Get over yourself and get out of my room. It’s none of your business.”

“It is when his presence is affecting our coven. I can see why you’re blind to his involvement in the chaos, but you, Ember? Unless you’re banging him too.” He watched Ember, waiting for a response. When she gave none, he continued, “No? Ash is still the only slut in the family?”

My tolerance for his audacity ran out. Ash had commanded me not to harm him. She didn’t say a word about scaring the hell out of him.

I grabbed the front of his shirt in my fist and yanked him toward me. “You will respect your superiors.”

A hint of fear flashed in his eyes, but he quickly recovered. “They aren’t my superiors. This coven has gone to shit since Cinder disappeared.”

“Get out.” Ash pointed at the doorway, so I released my hold, shoving him away.

Shade did not obey. “You’re in on it, aren’t you?” He stalked toward my witch. “You’re working together to take down this coven. First your parents and Cinder. Then Ginger. Now you’re trying for Miles, but he’s under my protection. You won’t lay a finger or a hex on him.”

Ash straightened her spine. “What the hell are you talking about? Too many hits with the basilisk’s tail has made you delusional.”

“You didn’t break the family curse, did you? All of this…the rifts, the deaths…you’re picking off our coven one by one, and you’re using him to do it.” He shoved her. She stumbled back.

All logical thought drained from my mind, blind rage replacing it.

I clutched his shoulder, spinning him around before wrapping my hand around his puny neck. I could have easily snapped it. Instead, I lifted him from the ground and threw him across the room. The mirror hanging on the wall shattered with his impact, and he grunted and slid to the floor.

“Enough, boys.” Ember paced toward Shade and helped him to his feet. He rewarded her with a fist to her jaw.

She clutched her face. “Get the hell out of our house.”

Ash grabbed my arm, her way of reminding me of my promise, but I could not uphold my end of that deal when the sisters’ lives were in danger.

“What’s your end game?” He shoved Ember and stalked toward me. “You must be the mastermind because these two don’t have the brain power to pull off something like this.”

I growled. My eyes heated, my demon form rising to the surface, threatening to expose me. I fought to keep it subdued.

Shade pulled a potion bottle from his pocket and recited a spell.

“Shade…” Alarm filled Ash’s voice. “What are you doing? We don’t want to hurt you.” She tried to take the bottle, but he jerked his hand back.

Ember grabbed his wrist. He spun and punched her in the stomach with his free hand. She released her hold, and he turned toward me, malice filling his smoky gray eyes. “You’re not going to destroy this coven.”

“Neither are you.” I hit him with my mind magic, and he froze, dropping the potion bottle to the floor. The contents spilled and sizzled, purple smoke rising from the liquid, billowing out across the floor.

“Shit. It’s a nerve hex. Come on.” Ember motioned for us to follow her out of the room.

“Crap! It’s on my feet.” Ash lifted one leg and then the other. “Ow, ow, ow.”

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