Page 45 of The Maestro's Mates
“Everyone’s okay,” Sebastian said. “We should go to?—”
“Everyone’s okay rightnow,” Linda countered, an annoyed expression on her face. She crossed to the broken window, ignoring the shards of glass she was stepping on.She stared out into the night, frowning. “I’ll need to add dream magic to the wards. What a pain in the ass.”
“Why did she do this?” Justin heard himself ask. He shouldn’t hide away in Pavel’s arms, as much as he wanted to. He tried to wriggle out, but the gargoyle held him tight. Justin rubbed Pavel’s sternum gently with his right hand.
“It’s okay, Pavel. I’m okay. You can let go.”
The gargoyle let out a low growl, but his arms released the slightest bit. Justin slipped from his embrace, sliding over to sit on the edge of the bed.
“Why attack Sebastian?” Justin asked.
Sebastian opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again. Justin turned to Linda, who sighed in frustration.
“She attacked the house and was beaten back. She needed a different way in. Dream witches are rare, and like I said, I know them all. There was no reason for us to ward against dream magic.”
“But was she trying to kill us? Trying to kill her own brother?” Justin balled his fists. The thought of Sebastian being in danger made his blood boil. From the growl that came from behind him, Justin knew Pavel felt the same.
“No,” Sebastian said, and then seemed to reconsider. “No, right? She wouldn’t kill me, would she?”
“I honestly don’t have a fucking clue,” Linda replied. “She would have to killmeif she wanted control of the Circle, but maybe she decided you wouldn’t allow her to be in charge? You are the next in line, and so far, you’ve sided with me.”
“I don’t want to run the damn Circle. She knows that.” Sebastian’s voice shook with anger, but there was an undercurrent of hurt.
Linda shook her head. “I don’t know. But obviously,she’s willing to go pretty far. At this point, I don’t know what she’s capable of.”
“So what do we do now?” Justin asked. “How do we keep Sebastian safe?”
Linda stared at Justin for a moment, both eyebrows raised in an expression of surprise. Had it not entered her mind that keeping her son safe should be a priority?
“I don’t know. I think…I think maybe she was trying to incapacitate Sebastian for the foreseeable future. To take him out for the fight to come. She’s tried subterfuge, she’s tried dream magic, and she’s been beaten back both times. Next time, she’ll come with force.”
Linda frowned, surveying the bedroom around them. The area by the window was littered with debris, the door was scorched and off its hinges, and there was a gargoyle perched in the middle of the bed. She turned to Justin.
“The alliance with your coven is even more important now. We need the help. If Veronica rooted out a dream witch, who knows what other deals she’s made? She may be desperate enough to contract with some truly despicable beings.”
Sebastian nodded, his face set in an implacable mask. “We can figure it out in the morning. Go to bed, Mother.”
Linda gazed down at the mess and debris on the floor in horror. “But?—”
“Go tobed, Mother. Tomorrow.”
Linda stared at her son for a long moment, and he stared back, in a silent battle of wills. Ultimately, she threw up her hands and stepped out of the room, treading on the scorched wooden door as she left.
Justin smiled. There was something about Sebastian standing up to his mother Justin found thrilling. He didn’tentirely understand their relationship, but he loved when the mischievous witch turned intense. It was a surprise. A very sexy surprise.
Sebastian bent down and picked up one end of the damaged door, leaning it up against the door frame.
“That’ll have to do,” he said, turning back to Justin and Pavel.
Justin gazed at Pavel, affection filling his chest. Despite his protestations, the man couldn’t help but protect them and keep them safe. Justin reached out and put his hand on the gargoyle’s muscular thigh.
“Time to change back, don’t you think?”
Chapter 17
Pavel
The following silence was an eternity to Pavel. He hadn’t meant to end up in this position. He’d waited on the nearby rooftop to calm his gargoyle instincts, not because he thought there would be actual danger.
