Page 104 of Bright Dark Curses

“Going to make a ward, just in case he tries to run.”

I darted to the other side of the open space and nicked one of my fingers with the pebble. Luckily, small traces of blood were enough for a simple ward like this.

Lowering my hand to the ground, I awoke my magic.

Wards were different from spells for potions. The intention and power needed to be maintained through the whole process of drawing the ward, and the best witches could change the intention as they went, creating much more complicated wards. However, on this occasion, one didn't need a Ducati when a two-gear bicycle would work.

Breathing in, I focused my intention and held it.

Halt.

I ran in a crouch back to where we were hiding, pouring my magic into a straight line over the uneven, sometimes wet, asphalt.

Once I arrived to the rest of my team, I dusted my hands off and sat on the ground, the familiar wobbliness of my legs letting itself be known.

“Did you just grab a stone from the ground to draw blood for the ward?” Dru asked.

“Yep.”

“Congratulations on your incoming death by brain-eating bacteria.”

“You don’t get those from dirt.” Did you? Frowning, I studied my hands, then sucked on my scratched fingertip with the tiniest of healing intentions. “And I don’t have a knife with me.”

“I do.”

I gaped. “You do?”

“No. I have these, remember?” She waved her fingers, now tipped with small, sharp claws.

Brimstone appeared next to Dru. He had joined Team Hope because he could add two and two together and all my strange absences and calls from the back of the shop hadn’t gone unnoticed. “I can cauterize the wound, if you’d like.”

I held my hand close to my chest. “No, thank you.”

He made a sound of displeasure, then reached into his long coat and produced a packet. “Use this, then.”

I took it from him. “A disinfectant wipe?” Aww.

“I will itemize you for it later.”

Tearing the small package open, I sent Dru a pointed glance. “You were never this nice when you worked for me.”

“Except all those times I worked overtime when it wasn’t even my shift.”

The memory of those happy times warmed my heart in the cold night. “You’re right. You’re still my best employee ever.”

Hutton snorted behind them.

Yes, Hutton was also part of Team Hope.

Ethan had let his mystery dark magic benefactor know to meet him right here, right now, or he’d tell the bounty hunter about some incriminating details he’d found on Lydia Lee’s side of the trailer.

Team Key, which consisted of Ian, Key, Shane, and Alex, had been watching over Ethan’s hotel room since he’d sent the blackmail messages, in case McKee tried to plant evidence in his room then call the bounty hunters on him.

It could still be one of the other suspects, but I felt it in my soul that McKee was it. Best motive, a witch himself, and seen around the sabotaging areas? It didn’t get better than that.

Key had wanted to be here with us, but she’d eventually agreed that it’d be better if she weren’t around for the takedown. This was the most likely spot for McKee and the Council witch to confront each other, and if things got messy, I didn’t want Key to be around and later be questioned by the Council or any bounty hunter beyond Ian.

I’d hated hearing the disappointment in her voice, but it was for the best.

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