Page 9 of Claiming Chaos

3

CHAOS

I returned from the clothing store to find a man holding three flat boxes and knocking on the front entrance door. He huffed and rang the buzzer, shaking his head before looking at his phone. His mouth drew downward, and lines creased his forehead.

“Are you the delivery person?” I approached with caution, opening my senses to detect any magic he might exude. I found none.

“I’ve been knocking for five minutes. Here.” He shoved the boxes at my chest before stepping back and holding his hand toward me, palm up.

I’d seen plenty of people on the television return the gesture by slapping the outstretched palm, so I hooked the bags onto my fingers beneath the pizza boxes and “gave him five.”

He scoffed, his attitude growing more fowl by the second. “My tip, man. What the hell’s wrong with you?”

My eyes heated, the green undulating around my pupils. If I hadn’t given Ash my word that I would harm no one, this delivery boy would be nothing more than a pile of soot. Instead, I straightened my spine and leaned toward him. “I suggest you treat your elders with respect. You never know what we’re capable of.”

His eyes widened, and his throat bobbed with his hard swallow. “Never mind. We’re good.”

I tilted my head slightly, and he took two stumbling steps backward before turning and running to his vehicle.

“Chaos! What did you do?” Ash stood in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest.

“He insisted on a tip, so I gave him one.” I shrugged and stepped inside. “I didn’t use my power on him if that’s what you’re asking.”

She arched a brow. “Did he have blond hair and a scar on his lip?”

“Indeed. And an attitude worse than Shade’s.”

“That’s John. He’s an ass.” She locked the front door and led the way to the stairs. “Come on up. We’re so hungry, we’re about to eat our shoes.”

“Surely you have something else to eat in your kitchen. Leather is an animal product, but it’s not for consumption.”

She stopped and turned to me, laughing, her entire face lighting up with beauty. “It’s an expression.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Is it?”

“Well, if it isn’t, I just made it one.” She continued up the stairs.

In the kitchen, I set the boxes on the counter before taking my clothes to Ash’s bedroom. When I returned, she handed me a piece of round, stiff paper and set three slices of pizza on it. With our plates full, everyone settled in the living room. Ash sank onto the sofa next to me, and our legs touched. Normally, she moved away when this happened, but not this time. She rested her shoulder against mine, and warmth filled my chest before a fist of dread squeezed it tightly.

This witch would never be mine. Not unless I took her to Hell with me, and I knew without a doubt that she would never leave her sisters. But perhaps, with a little convincing…

“It’s time for answers,” Shade said around a mouthful of food. “What’s going on?”

“We should ask the same of you.” Ash took two gulps of water and set her glass on the coffee table. “What the hell were you doing in our house, and why did you hit us with a nerve hex?”

He leaned forward in his chair. “I came here because you’re harboring a demon. The spell was meant for him.”

“What made you think I was a demon? You seemed surprised when you figured it out.” I folded a slice in half and ate half in one bite.

“Chrys thought…” He clamped his mouth shut.

Chrys. He’d fallen victim to a dark witch’s whims. Who was I to judge him for that?

Miles sat next to Patrice on the smaller sofa, his shoulders moving toward his ears. “Ginger told her we sensed something off in your house. Maybe she…” His eyes glistened, and he inhaled a shaky breath.

“Maybe we should start from the beginning,” their healer said. “It sounds like we all have pieces to the puzzle that the others are missing.”

Ember traded a glance with Ash. “Do you want to tell them, or should I?”

---