Page 72 of Cocktails & Cauldrons

“Can’t say I’ve ever heard of you. What’s your claim to fame?”

Rumor had it the Irish were well known for their fighting spirits and, in some cases, formidable tempers. This woman checked both boxes. Her color was high, and her irritationradiated off her in waves. “I’m the smartest and most powerful of the O’Connors,” she snapped.

Scrunching her nose and squinting, Brenna pretended to consider it. “Mmm, but are you? Really? Because I’ve met a few of the others, and I have to say, they seem pretty clever to me. And other than an Aether and a Siren, who’s more badass than a Guardian?”

“Language, Brenna Marie.”

Gran.

Somehow, someway, she’d known Brenna needed her and came to lend her support.

And in her head, another voice chimed in.“You should allow her a little freedom, Mama. A girl has to spread her wings, now and again. Don’t ya, honey?”

Narissa had joined the fray, and Brenna couldn’t help her triumphant smile as her mother’s twin stopped beside her, shoulder to shoulder. With the specter of Gran on one side and the very solid form of Narissa on the other, Brenna felt unstoppable.

With a snap of her fingers, Narissa restored Brenna’s clothes to new, with not a speck of dirt or thread out of place. “Remind me to show you how to do that after we take out the trash, honey.”

Moira grew concerned. “Where… how… who…?”

“I can answer that, Ms. Doyle.” From seemingly nowhere, the Aether appeared behind Moira.

The woman’s complexion turned positively green, and she whirled to face the newest and most serious threat that ever existed.

“Hello, Moira. I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a very long time.” Damian’s grin was pure menace, and the light of retribution was in his hard, frigid stare.

The wind around them began to howl, and the trees swayed to the point of snapping branches.

The Aether was one pissed-off dude.

“It was Seamus who tried to—” she ended on a gurgle. As she clawed at the invisible hand around her neck, she wildly flailed one arm and reached for Odessa.

“The plan wasyours, and you tried to murder my child.Mychild.” Damian strolled forward as if he were taking a walk in the park and had all day. But with each step, the overhead clouds darkened until he stopped only a foot away from his target. A bolt of lightning shattered a nearby tree, and the resounding crack and boom instilled fear in all of their hearts. “And for that, Moira Doyle, you’ve forfeited your life.”

His icy words froze Brenna’s breath in her lungs. Unwilling and unable to take her attention from the unfolding scene, she blindly sought and clasped Narissa’s hand. For the second time, she reminded herself to never get on Damian Dethridge’s bad side.

“You got that right, honey.”Narissa’s fingers tightened over hers, and she leaned into her, seeking unity.

The Aether placed his palm flat on Moira’s chest, and from the marginal gap, a chartreuse light tried to escape, sending blinding beams in all directions. The woman’s head dropped back, and black smoke poured out of her lurid red and grotesquely gaping mouth. It drifted up and hovered above Damian as if unsure where it should go. Without bothering to remove his focus from Moira, he lifted a hand to the sky and absorbed the dark mist into the flat of his palm.

The scent of brimstone filled the air, and fire flared to life at her feet, then licked up her legs. The flame stopped at her waist as if awaiting instruction, and it danced in its eagerness.

The tortured expression on Moira’s countenance was hard to witness, and Brenna jerked free of her aunt’s hold to approach the righteous Aether.

“Damian, please. Show mercy!”

“No.”

“Brenna,” Ronan quietly spoke her name from behind her. “Stay out of it.”

She should’ve expected he’d get reinforcements and return, but she hadn’t thought that far ahead.

“He’s killing her,” she hissed. And as he attempted to pull her away, Brenna tugged her arm, but was unable to break his hold.

“Let him.”

The unperturbed tone bothered her. With a last look for poor Moira, Brenna called out to Damian again. “Damian, please. Please don’t kill her.”

Not removing his dispassionate stare from Moira, he addressed Brenna’s concern. “She’d kill any and all of us where we stand, Brenna. Remember what I told you about what I see when I look at someone? She’s flat-out hideous.”

---