Page 98 of Charming Her Monsters

“Oh, yeah.” Calder mumbles. “I put them in the cupboard for their safety.” He points to the kitchen island. “I was waiting to get them out until we were ready to leave, just in case we were attacked again.”

Jade rushes to the kitchen and Calder guides her to the correct cupboard. He stands closer than I’d expect him to. He’s warming to her.

“Is it safenow?” Trouble grumps.

Opening the cupboard, Jade picks up Trouble and Calder gets the bunny, Sage. Our witch and phoenix face each other, smiling, and take turns petting the fur balls. Several times, I notice their hands touching. Hmm.

Something dramatic has shifted in Calder.

Both our affection-phobic pack members don’t seem to mind Jade’s touch anymore. Perhaps they even crave it. Speaking of which, I crave her touch, too. But that will have to wait until we are safe.

“Let’s go!” I bark.

Everyone snaps their gaze at me. I suppose that came out more aggressive than necessary, but I’m suddenly feeling a sense of urgency to get us somewhere safe.

“Yes, Mr. Bossy Sweatpants,” Jade teases, but quickly puts Trouble and Sage in their travel carrier.

Maxum picks up his bag and tosses it onto his shoulder as he heads out to the front. The doors begin to seal and lock around the house… not that we will be able to return any time soon. Well, not until we kill Rob, Galiana, and anyone else who knows its location.

Jade can walk without issue, but I still want to hold her in my arms. I need to confirm she is okay—that she’s alive.

If I wasn’t carrying all Jade’s stuff and my own, I’d be holding her, but I’ll bide my time and make use of it later—wherever Maxum is taking us.

I just hope for our sake, it’s somewhere we can rest for a damned second, breathe, and figure out what sort of witch our beautiful mate is.

30

HELL

JADE

Iunderstand why Maxum needed to ask me about the rumors. I’d probably have one of my characters do the exact same thing. To be fair, my situation is a bit wonky, growing wonkier all the time.

Is wonkier a word? Well, it is now. Even with everything that’s happened, I still have the Shakespearean flare.

“Ready?” Maxum says as he pauses, surveying what is left of his huge front yard.

The damage around the lake house makes me stagger a bit, imagining Flint fighting on his own for so long. He’s lucky Maxum and Arran returned when they did.

“Jade?”Osen calls me in my head.

“What?”I’m not feeling overly warm toward him since he almost ran off with my body. Again.

“I fucked up.”

“No shit,”I snip.

“I don’t mean to be so insane. I mean… I was always a bit of a hothead. It’s one reason I understood Arran so well. But since I died… I’m not okay. I’m broken. I don’t mean that metaphorically. Something is missing in me. It makes me do dumb shit without thinking it through.”

I sigh as I watch Maxum create his portal. I know this was hard for Osen to admit his weakness. From what I hear, he didn’t do that in his life—ever. To admit it now, when he is so vulnerable and reliant on me, must be killing him. Well, not exactly, since he’s already dead. But it’s dang hard, I’m sure. He’s struggling to deal with what’s happened to him.

“I get it,”I say, softening to the incubus’ plight.“Are you okay after seeing your body?”

“Not really. Why the fuck did it look like it’s preserved?”

“I don’t know. Can Maxum perform magic like that?”

“Not that I know about. But why would he do that?”Osen asks, completely confused.“Our traditions would have him burn or bury my body, not keep it frozen in time.”

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