Page 5 of Midnight Witch

Mae frowned.It’s a good thing we kept the fact that Roman can also access ley lines a secret.

The sharp faces of the Vissarion matriarch and Roman’s grandfather rose before her. She couldn’t even contemplate the level of trouble she’d be in if that slipped out.

The number of people who give me acid indigestion keeps on growing.

The matter at hand had her furrowing her brow once more. This was going to be their third official social event in as many weeks.

Now that they’d learned the Dark Council had somehow gotten their hands on theBook of Shadows, work on fixing the skeleton key that could open up theBook of Lighthad stalled. With no sign of impending funny business from their enemy, Mae and Nikolai had had no option but to begrudgingly accede to Bryony’s requests to meet with other covens in what everyone knew would be a brief period of peace. They were both acutely aware that the war with the Dark Council would not be won with their powers alone. They needed allies and the fastest way to grow their supporters was by mingling with them.

They could just about tolerate coven politics and the humdrum of having to engage in small talk with people they didn’t know. It was the fact that they had to wear monkey suits for the occasions that annoyed them the most.

“Maybe you should ask Vlad if you can check out his wardrobe,” Mae suggested.

Nikolai scowled. “I’d rather poke myself in the eye. Besides, I can afford to buy my own suits.” He appraised her over his wine glass. “You gonna get a new dress?”

Mae’s pulse quickened a little at his heated gaze. She did her best not to squirm in her chair as she considered her answer. “I, er, have one already.”

Nikolai stiffened. Hellfire Magic flashed briefly in his pupils.

Uh-oh, Brimstone said conversationally between bites of pizza.He’s pissed.

Hellreaver sniggered around his steak.She likes them hot and brooding.

Mae flashed a jaundiced look at the weapon.

“That bastard got you another dress?” Nikolai ground out.

“He got me two, actually,” Mae confessed, avoiding his gaze.

Nikolai’s knuckles whitened on the stem of his glass. “They’d better not be like that contraption he gifted you in Philadelphia.”

Mae swallowed. The dress Vlad had gotten her for the reception of the Annual Grand Meeting had been positively illegal. She was glad she’d never shown Nikolai the lingerie that went with the outfit. She bit her lip.

The thought of showing any kind of underwear to the sorcerer had her cheeks warming.

Nikolai misinterpreted her blush. Heat distorted the air around him, the aura of Hellfire Magic barely suppressed.

“They are, aren’t they?” he said between gritted teeth.

Mae eyed the smoke detector in the ceiling. “How about you calm down before you set that off?”

A fire alarm started blaring through the building. They both jumped.

Nikolai furrowed his brow. “That wasn’t me.”

Brimstone’s ears cocked to and fro. A growl rumbled up his throat as he rose to his feet.My witch.

Mae stiffened at his warning. She’d just sensed what he’d detected.

“That’s coming from beneath us!”

Nikolai’s eyes widened when he picked up on the anomaly.

They were out the front door in seconds, their familiars at their side and Hellreaver in Mae’s hand. Mae reached for her magic as they raced down the stairs.

Nullify!

The wordless incantation returned nothing. She clenched her jaw. This wasn’t the work of Dark Council sorcerers and witches.

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