Page 40 of Semi-Reckless

He shrugged. “Because I hate it. It’s what I’d say I wanted if I wanted to alert you that I was in trouble.”

Mischa offered, “Keep something in the back of your mind that enrages you. The rage will help you focus your power if you need it.”

Haven thought for a moment. “Logan dying immediately after he married Veronica on Veronica Mars?”

“Yeah, that’d do it,” Mischa grumbled.

“Being brave doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice yourself,” Gabriel told her sternly. “If you need to run, fucking run. Live to fight another day, yeah?”

She nodded and choked back more emotion when he leaned in to give his brother a back-slapping hug and a shoulder clap.

“Take out his knees,” Seven advised. “I don’t care how indestructible he seems. No one can come after you if you destroy their knees.”

“Thanks, Aunt Seven.”

Lucas slung an arm around his wife. “You’re terrifying. You know that, right?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

Benny sniffed and handed her his tungsten knife. He didn’t say anything. Just gave her a jaunty little salute and followed Seven and Lucas out of the room.

Her dad leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Just follow your gut and you’ll be fine.” Then he slugged Roan in the arm. “Let her use you as a shield if she has to.”

Haven rolled her eyes, but Roan nodded solemnly. “Of course.”

Finally, it was her mother’s turn to offer advice. Comfort. Words of wisdom. Harper looked her right in the eye and said, “You’re Haven fucking Hall. You got this.”

Well, not exactly a speech that’d make it onto an inspirational poster. But effective, nonetheless. “Semi-charmed, just like my mom, right?” she joked.

Her mom’s eyes misted over with tears she’d never shed at work. “Fuckin’ A,” she said quietly.

CHAPTER 20

Sitting back and watching quietly while Haven summoned a demon that had burned the fuck out of him and wanted to drag her to a different dimension for some unknown reason was not as terrifying as watching her die had been.

But only by a little bit.

He couldn’t read auras like Haven could, but he could tell her family was feeling every bit as terrified as he was. The tension and fear building outside the bomb shelter was so thick you could slice it, plate it, and serve it with afternoon tea.

It most assuredly was not a feeling the most powerful supernatural beings on the planet were used to. He sure as hell wasn’t.

“OK,” Haven said, brow furrowed as she concentrated on the summoning spell, dropping the last of the necessary herbs in the salt circle on the floor. “One more phrase and that should be it.”

Roan took a deep breath and rolled his head around on his shoulders. “Ready when you are.”

She bit her lower lip. “You trust me?”

“With my life,” he said without hesitation.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” she muttered.

They both jumped when Carl popped up out of nowhere between them. He put his hands on his hips and gave Roan the sternest frown he’d ever had directed at him in his life. “Are you kidding me right now?”

“Hi, Carl!” Haven said excitedly.

Carl ignored her, focusing the full force of his disappointment on Roan. “You’re actually going to let her do this? You’re going to let her summon the demon that nearly burned you—you, who are almost fireproof—alive, here?”

Roan frowned at him. “You saw all that and didn’t do anything to help, but show up now? What the fuck, man?”

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