Page 3 of Charming Her Monsters

She nods.

I continue, “How much longer can you hold this bubble?”

“Not much longer.” She grunts with the effort. “I’m sorry.”

“What’s your name, warrior?” Flint asks.

“Tavi of Elorith,” she says with a raised brow. “You are my first gargoyle. What do they call you?”

“Flint.” He grimaces that his kind is so rare she doesn’t know any. Besides, most gargoyles aren’t likely to associate with the flower faeries. “Tavi, we appreciate you helping our friends, but I sense you are harming yourself to do this. If you need to release the time bubble, you should.”

“Flint!” I shout. “Jade might die.”

He turns to me and stares deeply into my eyes, which unnerves me. Only Jade dares to do that, since she doesn’t understand what a challenge it is to my primal nature. “Arran, we don’t know how badly she is hurt. She could recover. And Calder… he will be reborn if he’s too far gone.”

Maxum places his large hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “No matter how much we want to, we cannot ask the faerie to sacrifice herself for Jade. I recognize Tavi’s name and description. She is a leader of her people and a friend to the Fae Queen.”

Shit. I can’t piss them off. Just as I’m about to give up my pressure on Tavi, a portal opens up.

All three of us react defensively. I shift back into my wolf and the others brace themselves for battle. We can’t know yet if the newcomers will be friends or foe.

A woman steps through with a half-shifted phoenix. His wings are out and flaming and he looks ready to defend his partner against us.

I snarl. She is a witch by the smell of her magic.

I can smell the magic of a hellhound on her, too. I back down, confused. What in the world? Why is this witch working with supernaturals?

A male faerie flies through before the portal closes behind them and rushes to help his mate hold the bubble in place.

“Amira?” Maxum asks in disbelief.

“Maxum?” she questions in a similar tone of shock. “It’s been ages.”

I shift back into my human form and demand. “A witch?” I sneer.

I suppose my prejudice against witches runs deep, and only Jade is acceptable in my eyes. Besides, I was hoping for a mage to heal her. A supe’s magic usually works faster.

The witch turns toward me with a glare, but her phoenix jumps in the way, blocking my nakedness.

He grumbles, “Do you mind not waving your dick and all that sexy in my mate’s face?”

“Mate? What the fuck is going on?” I say, but they all ignore me.

Maxum takes charge of the situation and informs the newcomers. “Our pack mate, a phoenix, looks to have severe head trauma, maybe more. It’s hard to tell. I don’t want him to go through a rebirth, but at least he can. We are more worried about the woman. She also looks to be banged up and losing a lot of blood.”

“You mean thewitch?” Amira says with a curled lip of disgust.

Hmm. That’s odd… a witch-hating witch?

“Jade’s not like that. She didn’t even know that she was one, or that magic was real until a few days ago,” Maxum explains. “She also has a spirit attached to her.”

“Well, that’s… different.” Amira nods to her mate. “Raithe, when Tavi drops the bubble, can you look after your brethren? I’ll do what I can to stabilize the witch.”

“Jade,” Maxum corrects.

Amira frowns, stares at him for a second, and cocks a brow. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had a bond with her.”

What does this witch see with her special sight? Did Maxum and Jade create a mate bond, and I just didn’t sense it?

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