Page 79 of Infernal

Tessa’s phone rang as I rejoined Dominic on the sofa where I’d left him. He watched me closely as I sat down beside him, possibly trying to read my expressions for any clues as to how it went, but he didn’t get a chance to ask.

“What’s up?” said Tessa into her phone. Her brows knitted closely together as she listened to whoever was on the other side of the line. “Are you sure?” Another pause. “I’m on my way.”

She ended the call and promptly directed her heavy gaze back to me.

That was never a good sign.

“What is it?”

“They think they’ve found uncle Karl’s body.”

“Hisbody?” The words hissed from my mouth like a gust of wind, and I instantly felt the blood rush away from my head. “Are you sure it’s him?”

“No, but I’m going there now to find out.”

“I’ll get my keys,” said Gabriel.

Tessa’s eyes never left mine, though I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what they were saying.

“Should I—I mean, do I need to come…?” I couldn’t even bring myself to ask the question. There was no way I could stomach going with her to identify the body. I hated my uncle, but he was still my uncle, and he looked far too much like my father for me to be able to see him like that.

She shook her head. “Not unless you want to.”

My face twisted as I gawked back at her.

“I didn’t think so. Just stay here with Dominic until I get back,” she instructed as she grabbed her jacket from the coffee table and then glared over at Dominic. “You think you can manage to keep your hands off my sister while I’m gone?”

“I can certainly try,” he said as he unfurled his arm along the back of the sofa. “But I’m not making any promises.”

“Funny,” she deadpanned and then turned back to me. “I mean it, Jemma. Don’t leave this house.”

Less than half an hour later, Dominic and I were in his Audi, speeding over to the hotel to meet up with Nikki and the others. We’d gottenthecall minutes after Tessa and Gabriel left. Ben had confirmed the sisters’ location after spending the better part of the day in wolf form doing recon work. He’d observed at least two of the sisters coming and going from the MacArthur house several times that afternoon.

They were definitely staying there, and worse, they weren’t even trying to hide it.

Obviously, they weren’t afraid of being found out or even remotely worried that we might be coming for them. I suppose I wouldn’t be either if I had the kind of magical mojo the sisters had. Then again, too much of anything was never a good thing. Over confidence can easily make a person drop their guards.

I’d learned the hard way that it was best to keep your feet firmly planted on the ground, especially when so many people were gunning for you.

“Thank you for doing this,” I said to Ben as I climbed out of Dominic’s car, dragging my schoolbag out with me.

“Don’t mention it, Jem. You know I’d do anything for that pretty boy idiot.” He was smiling playfully through the words, but I could tell it was a façade. The worry had all but etched itself into his expression.

“Was he there?” I asked, and we both knew who I was talking about.

He shook his head as he ran his hand over the crown of his shaved head. “No, and I’m kind of glad he wasn’t. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d see him like that. You know?”

I nodded that I did, glad that he didn’t have to experience the horror of witnessing Trace’s body being worn by some demented fallen angel from hell.

“I just hope he stays gone while we’re there,” I muttered, not particularly wanting him to show up in the middle of operation-snatch-a-witch.

“Where do you think he is?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. He’s been hanging out at All Saints a lot,” I said with a shrug, though he could have just as easily gone back to Temple to watch it burn to the ground.

I heard psychopaths loved returning to the scene of their crimes.

“Are the others here yet?” I asked as we walked towards the front entrance of the hotel.

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