Page 135 of Inflamed By an Incubus

Archer finally opened his eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he looked into Evelyn’s eyes. “All gone. You’re free.”

“Gods,” Fenix muttered and sagged a little as all the tension flowed out of him, as the breath he had been holding from the moment Archer had opened his eyes leaked from him and he struggled to make himself believe the warlock.

The relief that glittered in Archer’s eyes told him that he wasn’t lying.

They were free.

Archer gave Evelyn a tight smile and clutched her shoulder, his eyes betraying everything he was feeling as he looked at her. Fenix was starting to like the mad bastard. It probably helped that Archer had proven he was a noble male and a good friend, had somehow managed to shake off the taint of the things he had done.

When the warlock stood, Evelyn gripped the leg of his trousers, keeping him in place as she looked up at him.

“You’re leaving,” she said, and Fenix’s heart warmed to hear her voice.

Archer nodded. “I have to. Aryanna has another lead for me. I doubt it will turn into anything, but I must follow it up. A potential key.”

Evelyn didn’t release him. She held him in place, earning a soft look from the male, one that might have made Fenix beat him to a bloody pulp in the past, but now he had seen the two together for longer than a minute or two at a time, he knew that Evelyn’s love for him didn’t extend beyond friendship.

Her worry trickled into him through their bond as she gazed up at the warlock and he knew what she couldn’t bring herself to say.

So he said it for her.

“Make sure you swing by my house in Scotland to take a look at the documents we retrieved in New Hampshire. I’m sure you’ll still be keeping tabs on Evelyn so you’ll know where to find us. And… if you ever need help with Aryanna, you have it.” Fenix held Archer’s dark gaze as it shifted to him and ignored the spark of surprise in it. “I mean it. We owe you. Just say the word and we’ll help. Whatever you need.”

Archer swallowed and nodded, and glanced to his left as Rosalind moved up beside him.

“Whatever you need,” she parroted, gaining a shocked look from the warlock. She huffed. “We might not have gotten off to a good start, but… I don’t hate you… and when the world is in danger, we’ll always be there… or some superhero sounding shit like that. We can’t let Archangel wake your sorceress and use her power.”

Archer looked at everyone, the disbelief in his eyes not going anywhere, and Fenix felt bad for the male. What kind of horrible life had he led that he couldn’t believe there were people in this world who were willing to have his back and help him?

It almost made Fenix feel like a dick for the way he had treated him at first.

Almost.

But back then he had viewed the warlock as a threat to his mate and also a threat to his relationship with his mate.

“We will free you of the sorceress, Archer, and we will ensure she is not a threat to the world.” Vail’s deep voice held a commanding note, one that Fenix was familiar with. The elf prince had made up his mind that they were going to succeed and Archer would be an idiot not to believe him. Once Vail devoted himself to something, the elf was nothing short of a dog with a bone until he succeeded. “We should return to Norway and see what documents the little elf noble Hartt brought with him has gathered for transportation and take them to our home for now. He will not be pleased we are not going to take the documents to the elf kingdom, but it is best we secure them all somewhere any species who is willing to help can access them.”

Fenix doubted Leif would enjoy being called the ‘little elf noble’ but he didn’t mention it.

“I need to get my brother home to rest.” Mackenzie looked from the redheaded male who was sitting on the grass a short distance away, a lost expression on his face, to Vail and Rosalind. “I want to know what knowledge the mages were storing in Norway, but… he needs me.”

Hartt came up to stand beside her and brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek in a tender caress, one that backed up the love that shone in his violet eyes. “Once your brother is settled, we can visit everyone in Scotland.”

Fenix wasn’t sure when his home had become their headquarters, but he wasn’t going to complain. It was going to be nice having company other than his family.

Mackenzie nodded and then her soft look gained a wicked edge and she murmured, “We should probably give these two some privacy anyway.”

Evelyn frowned at her. “What do you mean by that?”

Hartt went to Mackenzie’s brother and disappeared with him, and Mackenzie smiled mischievously.

“Only that rebirth makes phoenixes one of two things. Either they get crazy restless or they get crazy horny, and I think you’ll find out which you are soon. My money is on horny.” She winked as she teleported.

A blush scalded Evelyn’s cheeks as she stiffened against him.

Archer cleared his throat. “I’ll be on my way then.”

He tugged his trouser leg free of her hand.

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