Page 41 of Hellfire

Cole was kneeling beside my fallen chair. “How do you feel?”

“Better than I have been.” I couldn’t stop rubbing my forearm.

“Good.” Cole held out a fist for me to bump, and I did, a little weakened from the magical clearing.

Talon swiped a hand across his stoney mouth. “I need a drink after that.”

“Me too.” I needed liquid to ease dehydration.

Gable chose that moment to return, grabbing a bottle of whisky and shot glasses, filling four of them, and handing them out. “Sorry, big guy.”

Talon shrugged.

Gable pinched his drink between two fingers. “Bottoms up.”

I threw the drink back and savored the sweet burn in my throat compared to the unquenchable thirst. The rest of them stared at me for a beat, then followed suit, hissing and cupping or wiping their mouths. I usually abstained from alcohol but tonight called for it.

“What now?” I glanced at each of them.

“We take it one step at a time,” Talon rumbled.

Luna hadn’t let go of my arm, her grip relaxing. “We wait for word from Castor, and we make the next decision.”

I wiped the sweat from my top lip and nodded. I could do that.

Gable twisted his whisky glass. “Another?”

Cole waved him away, Luna shook her head, and I turned him down.

Gable crossed back to his mini bar and deposited the bottle. “Castor’s pretty fast with information. We won’t be waiting long.”

“Is Mary okay?” Luna asked. “Do you have to get back to her?”

“She will be.” Gable gave her a fleeting smile as he collected the shot glasses and took them to the kitchen.

Talon took that as our cue to leave. “We’ll get out of your hair then.” He went up to Gable and shook his shoulder. “Thanks for tonight.”

“Anytime, Stoney.” He flashed a fraction of his standard grin.

Cole and Luna lifted me from the fallen chair and righted it.

I stumbled slightly on my way over to Gable. “I appreciate this.” I threw out my hand, and he stared at it for several beats before accepting it and giving me a solid shake, the snap of it reaching my stiff joints.

“Does this mean we’re a team?” His cocky grin returned with full force.

I croaked out a laugh. “Yeah, I guess we are.”

CHAPTER 15 - LUNA

It was so good to have him back in class where he belonged. Close to me. The act made a huge difference to his listlessness, brightening his flame beyond what the purge of darkness did last night.

He strode along the line of students, outlining the lesson. Offensive spells. Our first time deploying them.

Astra listened intently to every word, while I examined my boyfriend for any sign of my grandfather’s evil. Orange and red flickers writhed in his sacred flame, outweighing the spots of darkness still present. I twisted my head, unable to break my focus. How did Blaze get any work done when watching them was hypnotic and relaxing?

Some nights when I couldn’t sleep, I put on aYouTubevideo of fireplaces, and the crackle and hiss of flame and burning wood drifted me to sleep. If I didn’t stop staring at that enchanting flame, I was destined for the same place.

Brimstone tugged at my ear, the sting snapping me back to the lesson. I gave a thumbs up.

---