Page 8 of Pitch a Witch
Shadowblood stuttered in outrage, no doubt ready to throw some nasty reply my way, but the door opened and all of us turned to see who the newcomer was. Sissily’s face popped in, and my heart stopped beating for a second. My friend’s face was gaunt, and her blue eyes appeared dull and too large for her face. Whatever she’d wanted to say was forgotten the moment she saw me there.
I believe it became obvious to everyone present why I was inside the coven building.
“Sissily …” My croak was pathetic.
“I’m so sorry, Hazel.” We spoke at the same time as she rushed toward me.
My friend wrapped her arms around me, almost toppling us and the torture chair over when she threw herself at me. My chest felt tight when I saw how thin she was, and the signs of exhaustion were clear in the black circles underneath her eyes. Before I could say anything, Sissily pushed back far enough to turn and face Danika, but her hands clutched my arms. The contact made it easier for me to breathe. She didn’t hate me, and that was all that mattered to me … at least until she told us why she had come.
“We have a problem.” Everyone stiffened at her angry tone. “Two blocks around the coven, the streets are being cleared out. So far, no sightings within range of the coven, but I’m pretty sure it’s demons, with a possible vampire or two.”
“How many do we have present in the building that we can use?” Danika rounded her desk, transforming into a drill Sergeant in a blink of an eye.
“I’m calling Alex.” Ace had his phone pressed on the side of his head already.
“A dozen or so fully trained witches, and as many trainees who can hold their own if it comes to a fight,” Sissily fired back. “Not counting the three of you.” She pointed at my grandmother, River, and the High Priest. “Or the wolf and Hazel.”
“Absolutely not.” Danika’s hand sliced the air with finality. “You.” She pointed at Ace, and the beta snapped to attention like a soldier, forgetting his phone. “We will run interference, and you will take my granddaughter back where I left her before you snuck her out.” Even in a crisis, she was careful not to say anything in front of Shadowblood.
Did she know that the pack was being attacked multiple times a day? The reason for all the secrecy nagged at me, but I couldn’t ask, per se. Plus, I had to pick my battles when she was all barking orders and not caring about opinions.
“I’m already here.” Jumping to my feet, I protested defiantly. “I can help.”
My gaze was on my friend when I said it because I wanted to judge her reaction. I expected a flinch, or her face blanching like it did that day in the cornfield, maybe even for her to take a step back. Instead, she straightened next to me and pressed her shoulder to mine in our usual united front when faced with Danika’s disapproving glare.
“I’ll take all three of them with me.” River stepped up and locked eyes with my grandmother.
Some silent conversation passed between them that none of us were privy to, and after a long moment, Danika creeped the hell out of me when, for the first time, she relented at a staring match. With an unreadable expression, she nodded once sharply, and without a word stormed out of her office.
Shadowblood was torn between following her or staying behind, but a second later, he darted after my grandmother, his feet shuffling like nuts so he could catch up to her.
“If you are planning on handing us over, I’m warning you, I can now ash your ass with a flick of my wrist.” I stabbed a finger at Blondie, who arched an eyebrow at me.
I’d forgotten how perfectly handsome River Blackman was.
There could’ve been hordes of demons pounding on the door, yet I had no willpower to pull my gaze from his melted-chocolate peepers. The top of his hair had grown a little since I’d seen him last, and my fingers twitched with the need to brush the few strands that had fallen over his forehead away. As if reading my mind, he speared his fingers through it, slicking them back as I tracked the tightening of his shirtsleeve around his bicep.
A warning growl snapped me out of my depraved thoughts, and I jerked my gaze to Ace.
“Oh, great. Dick measuring contests,” Sissily chirped sarcastically. “I really missed those. Just like old times.”
“You’re so dumb.” Shoving her shoulder, I snickered. Warmth spread through me when my friend returned the grin.
“You can trust River, Hazel.” The joy drained from my face at her softly spoken words.
“As much as you can trust a snake, Sissily. Don’t let his pretty face fool you, girl.” Sissily wanted to argue on Blondie’s behalf, though he just eyed me curiously. “He is hiding something, and I can smell it. Danika can trust him all she wants, but let’s not forget that she lied to me all of my life, too.”
“You sound very bitter, Miss Byrne.” As always, I couldn’t tell if Blondie was offended or amused by me.
“Can you blame me?” I deadpanned.
“No.” With a sigh, River turned toward the door that Danika had left open in her haste to join our covenmates. “I suppose I cannot, but we don’t have time for me to change your mind.”
“It’ll be okay,” Sissily mumbled as she guided me to follow Blondie, Ace silently taking the rear. “Let’s kick some demon ass now, because we have a lot to talk about later.”
I nodded at my friend and sped up until I passed River. Not because I was in any hurry to deal with hellspawn. I just didn’t want the temptation of checking out his ass. I was classy like that.
Our arms brushed when I went by, and he turned his face my way.
