Page 34 of The Veil of Blood and Magic

Maybe they’re all old friends, but from the way Zev still clutches his sword, I doubt it.

“In between jobs,” Balan says, shrugging. “You know me and the boys love to have a bit of fun while waiting for the next gig.”

“Who doesn’t?” Jagger grins. “Have you triedThe Garden of Flame? We just left there. Excellent drinks.”

The men around Balan shift, almost like they’re waiting for some signal to move. It sets my teeth on edge.

“Oh yeah, yeah,” Balan says. “We’ve been there a few times.”

Jagger nods, flashing Zev a look before he reaches back and grabs the loose reins on Rain, tugging him forward. “Good to see you,” he says. “We’re on a tight schedule?—”

“That’s the thing,” Balan says, moving to block our path. “We heard you acquired quite the bounty.” His eyes roam up to me,and I do my best to look unimpressive, slouching slightly on Rain’s back and putting a damper on any power that might’ve slipped through.

“You heard,” Zev repeats the words. “From who?”

Balan smirks, revealing a few broken teeth. “The prince himself,” he answers, his chest puffing out just a bit. “Told us you found yourself a succubus. And he’s been looking for one of them for ages for his collection.”

Jagger steps back a few beats, directing Rain to do the same.

“The Collector wants her,” Zev says. “I don’t give a fuck what his son does.”

For once, Zev and I are on the same page. I know the Collector is a dick, but the rumors of his son’s evil are legendary. Some stories say when he’s in his shifted form he delights in flying through the skies and gorging himself on the flesh of innocents. I’d rather deal with the Collector than the prince any fucking day.

Balan and his men laugh, all forced amusement at Zev’s grumbling. “That’s where you and I differ,” he says, stepping closer. “I don’t really care what either of them do or want. I care about gold. Lots of it. Enough to drown myself in it.” His eyes cast up to me again. “And she’s worth a heavy purse.”

“She’s.Mine.” The words are lethal coming from Zev’s lips, causing a streak of flame to snap down my spine.

“This bounty is ours,” Jagger echoes, placing himself even more between me and the men than before. “Move on.”

I hate that the firm declarations do things to my body, creating warm pulses of hunger that have me shivering. I belong to myself, but it’s kind of adorable watching the drifters get all growly over me.

Balan laughs again, shaking his head. “What aren’t you two getting through your thick skulls?” he asks, but it’s clear he doesn’t really want a response as he jabs a thick finger at me.“We’re taking over this bounty. You either hand her over or we take her.”

I part my lips, prepared to tell these assholes that I’m not some piece of property to be bartered over, but Zev must sense my attitude, because he shoots a warning glare at me over his shoulder that shuts me right up.

“You’re not taking her.” Zev’s words are final.

Fuck.

“Six on two,” Balan says. “You know you don’t stand a chance, Zev.”

Zev moves his sword defensively at the same time that Jagger slides his guitar off his back, attaching it to a custom strap on Rain’s saddle in one easy, practiced move.

“You two are idiots,” Balan says, snapping his fingers. All his men draw their weapons. “You know that?”

“Argument could be made that you are,” Jagger fires back, drawing a blade from a holster on his thigh. “Think of how stupid you’ll look when you lose.”

“Don’t damage the bounty,” Balan orders his men right before chaos breaks loose.

In the span of a blink, the men rush each other, the clang of blades crashing together cracking the once soft, silent night air. I tug on the reins, urging Rain away from the brawl. We make it a couple feet away, and I guide him around the building, offering him some cover.

I hop down, soothing the restless mount as I crane my head around the stone wall.

Zev and Jagger fight like they’re an extension of each other—their moves complementing in an effortless way like a deadly, ruthless dance. And theyareruthless as they fight, all shots of power radiating out of them as they beat back two men at a time. It’s enthralling to watch, the sound of their blades hitting their marks like music among the clashing of swords.

Balan isn’t fighting, instead watching and waiting for what I assume will be the opportune time to deliver a cheap blow to one of them, but the rest of his men are all in, some already bleeding from the fight.

Jagger hums and the person he’s fighting staggers from his influence, giving Jagger the perfect opportunity to knock him unconscious.

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