Page 70 of Which Witch Is Wicked?
They don't have time for either."
"They sure as shit seem to learn fast and faster every day." Dru knocked back his drink and slid the glass aside rather than pour another.
"It's time we made a solid battle plan to take out Aerin."
Julian's breath caught, and he went suddenly still.
Dru pointed a finger at him. "You agreed. We all did. It's Aerin."
"You really should have fucked her when you had the chance, brother," Nick said. "It's a shame, good pussy like that going to waste.
She could've been your one and only. Want us to capture her so you can have your first fuck before we kill her?"
"If you want to continue to breathe out of any orifice in your face, keep talking." Julian's words were much more threatening because of the quiet, deadly way he'd delivered them, much like an unassuming virus that snuck in and killed in gruesome, unimaginable ways.
"Now that Aerin is aware of our plan, the sisters will band together and take countermeasures." Dru hiked up a pant leg and set his booted foot on the coffee table, leaning his elbow onto his knee. "This is how I see it. Now that she can fly, she's going to want to. It will be like a new toy for her to try and conquer. So we use him—" he pointed to Bane "—to capture her and bring her here. He can't help himself from watching the mother of his spawn, so we kill two birds with one stone.
So to speak."
"And the wards?" Julian asked, looking at each man in turn.
It was Bane who answered. "Do you really think your witch will stay within her boundaries when she owns the clouds?"
3
"You are out of your ever-lovin' mind!" Moira parked her hands on her hips. "We finally cleared this place of the bad juju, and you want to muck it up again?"
"She's scared," Tierra said. The discussion about Aunt Justine's request to return to the manor wasn't going well, not that Tierra had expected it to. And that damned sulphur smell stinking up the kitchen was making her sicker by the minute. It was late in the day, and she'd yet to keep any food down.
"We're all scared," Moira said. "The whole world's goin' to hell quicker than a greased gator."
"Now, wait," Claire interjected, pacing in front of the fireplace, her finger tapping her lip in thought. She'd returned from somewhere with Tommy hours ago. Supposedly he was out back helping Sunny's father, Basil, rebuild the shed that had caught fire last night. Tierra had been feeling too rundown this afternoon to check on their progress. "While Aunt Justine is about as comfortable to be around as wearing wet socks, it might be better to have her close. We'd have eyes on the coven that way. She does plan to stay involved with them, doesn’t she?"
Tierra shrugged. "I don't think so. She seemed really shook up."
"Why would we need eyes on the coven?" Aerin asked, sitting in the Queen Anne chair with her knees crossed typing away on the laptop and yet somehow keeping track of their conversation. "They are on our side.
They want to help. Lucy—"
"Lucy is not what she seems," Tierra interrupted. "I don't know what she is, but I know she's dangerous."
"And how do you know that?" Aerin glanced up from her computer.
"I feel it." Tierra couldn't sit any longer and strode to the open window, but instead of breathing in the calming scent of lavender from her flower beds, she inhaled the stench of leftover zombie. How long would the odor stay? For that matter when would the next attack come, because sure as hell there had to be a limitless supply of undead wanting to eat them. They needed to be ready and not fighting over Aunt Justine.
"You feel it?I'm the empath," Aerin said. "What? Now that you're carrying death's spawn you're all-knowing?"
"Aerin, turn it down a notch," Moira said. "Be nice."
"I'm not nice. I'm honest and sometimes the truth hurts."
"Lucy knows I'm pregnant." Tierra rubbed her arms. Her skin crawled and for some reason her hair hurt. Everything in her body felt sore and achy as though she had the flu. She wasn't that out of shape, and last night's fight shouldn't have made her feel like she'd competed in a triathlon.
"Yes, she does," Claire confirmed. "She told me the first time I met her. She could feel the new life about you."
"Andyou were going to tell me this when?"
"I actually forgot, what with Tommy coming back and all."
