Page 7 of Ignite Me

Fuck!

Why couldn’t I sense her magic? Why was the only thing pulsing through me the maddening bond that I didn’t want to believe was real?

She sniffled and used her free hand to swipe angrily at her cheeks. Her nearly-white hair fell forward as her head lowered more and hid her face from me.

Though I should have been happy about that, I stupidly found myself filled with more disappointment.

Grunting, I picked up speed, not realizing that she’d have to run to keep up with me until she began breathing heavily and my dick got excited from all the panting noises she was making.

This wasn’t fucking good.

I stopped abruptly, and her shoulder slammed into my rigid arm, knocking her to the ground. Well, almost.

She’d gone from badass fighter to this pathetic thing. I wasn’t sure what to think about that, either.

My hold on her arm was still tight, so she more dangled above the dirt instead of laying in it. She didn’t make a move to right herself as I stood there, glaring at her twisted, yet tempting body and taking deep breaths to get my shit together.

I’d never failed a mission. Hell, I hadn’t even had one go wrong to the point where I was scrambling, but this… This was new territory for me.

I’d fought witches, vampires, fae, and more. Fought them all and survived because that was what I was best at, but for the first time, a voice inside me wished this one target would overpower me and run.

No. I wouldn’t let that happen. No matter my previous reservation about this assignment. I’d seen the pictures. I’d heard the truth in the words Johnathon had spoken.

A witch had killed those children.

This witch.

Right?

My shoulders stiffened, and I reached down without looking at Kinsley so that I could throw her over my shoulder. I couldn’t wait for her to act like an adult and walk on her own. I needed to get to the Jeep and start the drive back to my house.

The trip would require me to sit next to her for sixteen hours while I sped down the interstates toward my cabin’s location in the middle of No Man’s Land.

I should have bargained for a fucking portal spell to get us back sooner, but I’d thought she would be a corpse by the time I’d started driving. Not a temptress seated next to me.

Maybe I could knock her out and tie her to the back seat.

Shit.The only thing appealing about that thought was tying her up.

With a loud huff, Kinsley punched me first in my side, then right at the center of my spine.

That shit didn’t feel very good.

I pulled her forward and cradled her against my chest, squeezing tightly until she was boxed in against herself.

Her sharp eyes glared up at me. “You’re a dick.”

I glanced down at her briefly, keeping all emotion from my face and tone. “I had no idea.”

She made a grumbling sound from her chest that piqued the interest of my wolf, but I ignored his longing for this moment.

She wasn’t our mate.

She was a murdering witch who needed to be put down.

Only, I couldn’t be the one to do that like I’d hoped.

At least when she was dead, the bond would end.

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