Page 32 of Demon

This wizard was getting braver.

Too fucking brave.

Callan stayed vigilant, never removing his gaze from Lonnie and once they were on their way back to Lonnie’s house, he called Xavier.

“I need Finn on Lonnie with me. The wizard showed up in his class.”

Lonnie gasped beside him.

“Finn is on a job out of town, or I’d pull him off and replace him. But Lake is about to be free. He’d be even better, since he can follow.”

Lake was one of the two warper wizards Xavier employed. He didn’t normally work as a bodyguard, though. Most of his timewas spent transporting Protective Solutions employees to jobs farther out. They also worked magic on the more personal jobs Xavier took on. Not everything about the company was about protection. Xavier also went after some of the worst criminals when law enforcement couldn’t take care of them. Lake and his brother, Liam, could have easily made a fortune working for some of those criminals—as warpers often did. But they were good guys and had known Xavier a long time. Callan didn’t know them as well as he did the other bodyguards, but having Lake would help a lot.

“How soon can he be here?”

“I’d already planned to send him over there tomorrow, but I’ll move it up to tonight. He’s been on a long job for me, so he’ll need to rest.”

“He can take the room I was using.”

“Things are going well with your mate, I take it?”

“Yes.” Callan didn’t bother to elaborate, not with Lonnie sitting right next to him in the front of his truck. But he put as much emphasis into that one word as he could.

“I’m happy for you, Callan. Does he know what he is to you?”

“Not yet.”

Xavier’s deep chuckle came over the line. “You are staying aware of your surroundings at all times still, yes? Not letting your feelings for him distract you?”

“I understand my job.”

“I know you do, but I also know how a mate can be a distraction.”

He did? As far as Callan knew, Xavier had no mate. Confused, he frowned as he pulled his truck into Lonnie’s driveway, parked and looked over at him. Lonnie was watching him, but he looked pale, and Callan inwardly cursed. He should have told Lonnie about the wizard showing up in his class before he called Xavier.

“I have to go,” he said abruptly.

“Understood. Lake will be there in two hours.” Xavier hung up.

They were both silent until Lonnie took a ragged-sounding breath. “He was in my classroom today?” he asked, whispering.

Callan nodded. “Appeared and disappeared too fast for me to do anything.”

“Do you think he noticed you?”

“No doubt. Was right behind me.”

“If he can just show up anywhere he wants, how do we fight that?” He hugged his arms across his chest. “I’m really scared, Callan. And you must be worried, too, since you asked for another bodyguard. What can Finn do that you can’t?”

“He’s a jinn. Can sense a warper’s magic before he shows up.” Callan reached out to pull Lonnie’s arm toward him and threaded their hands together. “But another is coming. Lake is one just like the wizard after you. He’s even better.” He leaned toward Lonnie. “But I will still protect you. I won’t let him get to you.”

“I didn’t even see him. You said he was inside the classroom, and I saw nothing.” Lonnie shivered.

“Was crouched behind me, but only there for a couple of seconds.” Callan lifted Lonnie’s hand and kissed his fingers. “You’re cold. Let’s go inside.”

Once in the house, Lonnie dropped his briefcase and keys onto the small table by the door.

“We need your laptop,” Callan said as he cleared a spot on the coffee table.

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