Page 12 of Shadow's End

“I haven’t even tried?—”

“Then do so.”

I frowned at her. “It’s never wise to chase a rabbit down a hole without full protections when said rabbit is caught?—”

Maelle was suddenly several steps closer, even though I hadn’t even seen her move. “What isunwiseis not doing what I ask, when I ask it.”

My insides clenched, but I continued to meet her dark gaze evenly. “You can’t afford to kill me, Maelle. You’re outnumbered, and you need all the fucking help you?—”

“Oh, I won’t kill you, Elizabeth,” she cut in smoothly. “But this reservation? The people you care about? Different matter entirely.”

In that moment, I saw Marie in her. Saw just how similar the two were, despite Maelle’s thicker coat of civility. But what did I expect? She was, in the end, Marie’s creation—a product of her blood and her magic.

I clenched my fists and stepped so close to her that we were almost nose to nose. The stench rolling off her was horrendous, and the darkness in her eyes a smothering blanket that was all-consuming … then my inner wild magic flared, the blanket fell away, and her eyes became nothing more than inky spots of fury.

“I hope your threat is nothing more than the lingering madness of bloodthirst you mentioned earlier.” My voice was flat, utterly devoid of the fury and the fear that roiled through me. “But if it is not, be warned. Harm any of my friends, or anyone I love, and I will erase your stain from existence.”

She stared at me for the longest moment, then threw her head back and laughed.

“Ah, Lizzie Grace, I do wish there were more around like you. You are balm for the soul.”

Thank the fuck that gamble paid off, Belle said,because I was getting ready to fry the bitch’s mind.

Maelle respects strength and courage, even if she doesn’t believe I could ever best her in a one-on-one fight.

She doesn’t, but if you ever do get into a one-on-one, you know I’ll be along for that ride.She paused.Monty suggests not taking the ring back to the café, because it’s possible it could provide her with a magical access point.

I frowned.But I revoked her access?—

Via the usual means of entry. But mages are fully capable of transport spells, and the ring could provide a navigational lock point on the café that will allow her to bypass all protections and restrictions and port directly in.

Is it possible to guard against that sort of thing?

There was a brief pause, then she said,If we place a repelling spell around it and then encase it in silver, he thinks that should do the trick.

“Please,” Maelle continued, in that same amused manner, “proceed as you wish, where you wish.”

I hesitated. “It’s probably best if we do the search here, but we’ll need to create a protective circle to ensure whatever traps Marie might have laid don’t snare?—”

“If this is a trap, Elizabeth, a mere protection circle will not actually protect you.”

“If it was only one circle, that might be true. But three working in tandem have defeated the most determined demon in the past. At the very least, it will hold offyourdemon long enough to retreat.” I paused. “I take it you have no objections to us bringing Monty in to help?”

Monty was in fact the reservation witch—a position assigned by the High Witch Council and one that usually meant doingnothing more than passing on the occasional high council decree and providing the rangers with magical assistance when needed. I’d officially become his assistant a few months ago, but that didn’t moot the point that Maelle should have been dealing with him rather than me. But as Belle had noted previously, she wanted to get her teeth into my flesh, not his, and had basically started—very politely—blocking his attempts to talk to her.

And one did not push the buttons of a crazy powerful vampire unless it was absolutely necessary.

Thinks the woman who constantly pushes said buttons,Belle noted dryly.

I didn’t bother refuting the statement. Couldn’t, in fact, when it was nothing but the truth.

“Marie would be incensed to hear you call her a mere demon.” Amusement played around Maelle’s lips again but the violence surrounding her had retreated further. Though none of us dared relax just yet, it was at least a sign that the immediate threat of becoming a vampire’s lunch had greatly lessened. “But yes, you can bring Monty in. The poor fellow might well have a heart attack if it keeps beating at such a rapid rate.”

Holy fuck, she can hear it from here?Belle said.

The senses of all predators are attuned to their prey.

Yeah, but I had no idea it was that sensitive.

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