Page 108 of Wicching Hour

“At least they’re stretchy,” Robert said.

Declan held up his hands and it was hard not to laugh. He was able to yank them down to about mid-palm.

“They look good on you,” I told him.

Grinning, he rolled his eyes at that. The humor left him, though, as he looked up at the cancer we were about to enter.

Moving slowly, I approached the front door, waiting for the tingle of a ward nearby but not feeling it. “The lack of another ward is making me very nervous,” I whispered.

“We have gone through quite a few,” Robert said. “She has to get in and out herself, doesn’t she?”

“The wards would be set to her,” I said. Sometimes I forgot that everyone else wasn’t protected by a million wards. Some, thankfully, got to just live their lives. “Cal can walk through them and turn doorknobs. She’s the key that opens and locks them.”

When I got to the doorstep, I felt a last line of defense. I turned to Bracken and held out my hand. He placed the blade in it and then pulled Robert and Declan back. I put the knife tip in the keyhole and this time, it sounded like a soap bubble popping.

Backtracking down the steps, I handed off the blade and then flicked my fingers, trying to open the door with magic. Nothing happened.

“I could kick it down,” Declan said.

I shook my head. “I’d prefer you kept both your legs.”

I suddenly realized I was getting very hot. My legs and butt felt like they were on fire. I looked at the men, who were calmly staring back at me.

“What’s the matter?” Declan asked.

“Don’t you feel it?” I turned and looked around, now in a real panic. “I’m on fire!”

I felt my real self get yanked in the water and the heat began to dissipate.

“What’s happening?” Declan tried to grab my arm, but his hand went right through me. “You’re flickering in and out. What is it?”

I held up my hands, asking for a minute while I focused on what was happening underwater.

An octopus was dragging me away from where I’d been sitting, where the ocean floor was now red and glowing, like lava was about to burst out of the ground. The octopus was joined by a buddy; they each took an arm and dragged me behind rocks covered in anemones and sea stars.

Out of the sand where I’d been sitting the head of a hellhound emerged, teeth first. He climbed out, his red glowing eyes scanning the area for me.Shitshitshit.

Before I had a chance to throw a spell, two great white sharks dove down and ripped it apart. The water was filled with the black liquid that ran in a hellhound’s veins, but then the water swirled it into a funnel and the black was gone.

Suckers covered my body as the octopuses worked together to hide me.Thank you. Deciding everything was under control for the moment, I went back to the men. When I looked around, I saw Declan running for the break in the wall.

“Wait!”

He kept going. I smacked Robert. He flinched away from me and then shouted to Declan, who was already trying to squeeze through. Thankfully, he stopped before he got burned again.

I focused on making myself heard and tried again. “Where are you going?”

He jogged back with his arms open. “What do you mean where am I going? You said you were on fire and then disappeared.”

“Oh. Right. Sorry about that. In my defense, I was. She sent one of her hellhounds after me. An octopus and his buddy dragged my body away from the Hell portal opening beneath me. They’re actually covering my body right now, no doubt making me look like coral. Anyway, a couple of sharks killed the hound and I’m back.”

Robert turned to Declan. “Is it always like this?”

Declan rubbed his hands over his face. “Far too often.”

Robert shook his head and studied me again. “We had no idea. I always thought of you as Elizabeth’s artistic niece who kept to herself.”

“Hell, that’s better than most of them think of me, so I’ll take it. Meanwhile, we need to get in, and wicche magic isn’t doing it. Move back, guys. Calliope has had too much time to prepare for us.”

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