Page 5 of Which Witch Is Wicked?
“If she finds out we failed, you know she’ll have her hot ass down here in a second, and she’ll take matters into her own hands.” Nick blew out a breath in memory of his last meeting with her.
“Are you saying you wouldn’t enjoy that…again?” Julian lifted a sarcastic brow. “Perhaps you should have used more discretion when dealing with the Devil.”
Nick snorted. “Perhaps you should have fucked her and then you wouldn’t still be a virgin. Beware the scorned woman.”
Bane’s expression turned tortured. “She’ll kill them. All of them.”
“Isn’t that the ultimate goal here?” Julian asked. “To end this nightmarish Apocalypse?”
“They don’tallhave to die,” Dru reminded them. “Only one.”
“It’s not going to be Tierra.” Bane shot a glance at each of them, daring them to challenge him.
“Arguing is getting us nowhere, gentlemen.” Julian regarded them with quiet disdain. “We need to find a way to stop the women from opening another seal and ending the world, all before incurringherwrath.”
“You’re right.” Dru released a sigh heavy with frustration. “If she comes to Port Townsend, we’re all screwed. We need to formulate an infallible plan.”
His brothers murmured their agreement as he reached for the crystal bowl sitting on the mantelpiece and grabbed a handful of the tiny cinnamon candies and poured them into his mouth. The flavor sizzled against his tongue, bringing him a measure of reassurance.
“What’s with the candies?” Nick asked with a condescending look.
“I thought you didn’t pollute your body with that garbage.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought, too.” But he hadn’t been able to deny the recent incessant craving.
3
Claire sat in a melon-colored Adirondack chair on the wide porch, staring toward the Puget Sound. Precious sun rained down on the hillside town for once, and she soaked it up like a dwindling fire inhaling fresh oxygen.
Below, in the yard, Tierra knelt near the holly, planting who knew what in the garden. The scene was far too domestic to be comfortable, and Claire itched to get on her motorcycle and let the glorious rays fall down on her. She hadn’t ridden it nearly enough since they’d opened the Fourth Seal and all hell had broken loose; not to mention, her vitamin D levels had bottomed out.
She needed to escape before she went crazy.
She jumped to her feet and joined Tierra. “I’m going to see if I can find some more of those blueberry leaves. We used them all when we created that protective spell we put around the house, and I’m sure that’s what is missing in the potion I tried to make the other day.”
Tierra lifted a haughty brow. “Would that be the day you broke my favorite vase?”
Claire gave her a guilty smile. “Sorry. I didn’t think you’d miss it. You have so many.”
She climbed to her feet and dusted dirt from her hands. “Excuse me? You didn’t think I’d miss one of my babies? I know exactly how many I have and where each of them is placed in the house.”
Aw, shit. “I just insulted you, didn’t I? I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to disrespect what’s important to you.”
A grin broke over Tierra’s face. “Okay. I didn’t really miss it. Aerin told me—”
“She what?” Claire would be having words with that girl.
“That it was an accident. She apologized on your behalf. Said you were trying to remember a spell that would help us.”
Claire worked to calm the residual emotion from her reaction. Learning to live with three women when she’d been isolated her entire life because of her affinity to Fire had its challenges. “I think I almost have it, and I can’t sit around waiting for something to happen. We need to prepare now for future possibilities. I think I can figure it out, but I believe I need leaves.”
“There are some wild ones growing near the rocks out by the old barracks.” Tierra paused, worry settling in her expression. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea for you to go, though. Especially alone. Take Moira or Aerin with you.”
Tierra had finally accepted it wasn’t safe for her to leave the protection of the house. Not if she wanted to ensure her and her unborn baby’s life.
“I’ll be fine.” As much as Claire loved her sisters, she found, at times, she craved the solitude she’d cursed all those years. “I’m just going to make a quick run on my bike. I’ll zip up the street and over. No one will see me coming or going.”
Tierra’s expression remained uncertain, but Claire could sense her acquiescence.
