Page 85 of Upside Down Magic

Iexplained our plans, then asked her to pass me toIan.

“Heythere, angel.”Hisvoice was gruff and weak and made me want to weep.

“Heythere,Cavalier.Don’tworry your pretty head,AlexandIgot this.”

Hechuckled. “Ibet you do.”

“Youdoing okay there, boss?”Alexasked.

“Suream.”

“Youheard our plan?”Iasked.

“Idid.It’ssound.”

“We’llget you three fixed up no problem.”

“Iknow you will.Seeyou soon?”

“Verysoon.”

Imade kissy noises, which always made him laugh, then ended the call.

Alextouched my arm. “Wegot this, boss.”

Itightened my grasp on the steering wheel and pressed down on the accelerator as determination filled me to the brim. “Yes, we do.”

TWENTY-SEVEN

Mynext callwas toDru.Afterexplaining the plan,Iasked her if she wanted to be our demon or if she’d ratherIfind someone else.

“WhywouldIwant you to find another demon,Hope?” she asked crisply.

“Soyou don’t have to slice your arm open?”

“Idon’t mind in this case.”

“Areyou sure?”

“Areyou doubting me?”

“Never,”Iassured her.ThenIrealized why she was so eager to help with my potion—our friendship only went so far when bleeding was concerned. “Ifthis potion works you want to rub it all overPreston, don’t you.”

“Iwould never.”Shefollowed those very insincere words with an evil cackle. “Maybe.”

“Youreally need to talk to a therapist about that.”

“Androb me of the small joys in life?Idon’t think so.Whenwill you get here?”

“I’mpicking upDorsey, thenI’llhead over.Oh, do you know any berzerker aside fromMark?”

“Callhim and ask.”

“Iwill.Thankyou.”

Weended the conversation as we arrived to the bed and breakfast.Ileft theSUVdouble parked and taskedAlexwith the job of finding another low-power mage whileIbroughtRufusinside.Dorseymight get cheeky, soIneeded the intimidation factor.

Don’tworry—while unwilling blood resulted in dark magic, in this case,IknewDorseywould only be unwilling as far as making my life harder, not for the sake of the potion itself.

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