Page 32 of Handcuffs and Hexes

“What’s wrong?” Liam asked softly, rubbing his eyes in an almost human way.

“I don’t know. Something feels off.”

We were both quiet as we listened for any sounds that might explain why I was so on edge, but there was nothing except the slight hum of the magic from my wards—inaudible to normal humans and barely audible to me—and the cicadas outside. Part of the appeal of this loft building was the park they’d put around it so we could be surrounded by green despite being in the city.

No sounds came from Hazel’s room.

“Maybe it’s nothing.” I closed my eyes again, and Liam reached over to give me a head rub.

That was nice despite the continued feeling of wrongness that seemed to permeate everything. I scanned my wards one more time. Nothing. It was probably just a dream. Though usually, I tended to remember my dreams and could even lucid dream on occasion.

I was still trying to fall back asleep when Hazel’s shrill scream had Liam and me bolting upright.

“Fuck!” Liam turned immaterial, floated out of bed, and moved right through the wall between the rooms. I almost followed Liam and only stopped myself a moment before I bashed my face. When I arrived in the spare room the conventional way, I saw the problem immediately.

There was the glow of magic at her window, and there was a shadowy humanoid form standing there, trying to look in. I recognized this; it was my father’s work.

Hazel was no longer screaming but instead had gone full attack mode, picking up the lamp and brandishing it like a weapon. She was definitely no damsel in distress.

“My home is warded. It cannot get inside,” I said, going to the window. I waved my hand over where the shadow’s face would be but got no reaction. “It can’t even see inside.”

The thing was exactly two feet from the glass, where my wards started. That was why I hadn’t felt its presence before I came into the room; it hadn’t actually touched my wards at all. What the hell was it doing here? And why didn’t it go when it realized it couldn’t see in?

Was it testing for weak spots? If it was, then it was wasting its time. My wards had no weaknesses.

No. That wouldn’t explain why it was outside Hazel’s window. This must be because Samuel had seen us at the marina today and came to gather intel. I didn’t like that he was showing interest in Hazel.

I concentrated, following my magic along my wards until my awareness was outside the window and directly in front of the shadowy spy. If the caster was still unaware of my presence, they would be soon.

I cast a counter spell, making sure to give whoever was behind it an extra shove. If I was lucky, it would be Samuel, and my father would end up being flung across his room. It served him right, trying to scare Hazel like that.

“There, Hazy Daisy. He’s gone.” I pulled the blinds closed just in case Samuel didn’t get the hint and tried again. “Nothing can harm you while you’re inside my home. All it can do is stand therelike an idiot,” I said those words extra loud, even though I knew Samuel couldn’t hear us either. I took the antique brass lamp I’d paid a pretty penny for at auction from her and put it back on the side table, glad she hadn’t hurled it at the window yet.

“Why don’t you come sleep with us tonight?” Liam asked. “There’s plenty of room in our bed.”

“I really shouldn’t. I’m sorry I woke everyone.”

“Bah, I’m glad you did so I could send that thing packing. Asshole needs to learn not to fuck with us.”

“Come join us. You can sleep in the middle where it’s the safest.”

Hazel’s eyes darted to the window, and then she nodded.

Grinning, Liam gathered her into his arms and carried her back to our bed.

Chapter 16

Liam

“Whatchalookingfor,Babygirl?”

Hazel, who had been going through our cabinets, jumped like she’d been caught with her hands in the cookie jar. “Shit! You scared me. I’m looking for something to relieve my headache.”

I frowned. “It’s back?”

“Yeah.”

“You should’ve said something before Seth left.”

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