Page 67 of Livewire Witch

“They will. They’ll be seen as uncivilized. Brutal. I can’t imagine how long it would take to regain a reputation of sophistication,” I reply.

I’m really talking out of my ass at this point, but clearly they’re not empathetic people. They don’t care about innocent people getting slaughtered.

Edgar pauses, draining the last of his tea before leveling his gaze at me through the tablet screen. “As yet, we have no proof of this beyond your word, Mr Santis. Do you have any evidence to back your accusations up?”

I know that the words of a mage and a witch will mean less than nothing to them, so I don’t mention it.

“I can bring you proof,” I say. “Evidence of their plan.”

Victor replaces his glasses on his nose. “Provide us with said proof and we can go from there.”

I stifle a frustrated sigh. Another issue with vampire elders, they take their damn time making decisions and have their own sense of urgency.

I can see I won’t get any further with them today, though. Standing and smoothing my trousers again, I give what I hope is a respectful nod.

It seems like for the time being, no help will come from this corner.

Now I just need to find some proof before it’s too late.

19

Silver

Idon’t know if it was all the orgasms, or thanks to sleeping in the middle of two mages— feeling safer than I can remember in my life—but I woke up the next morning feeling resolved.

Hardened.

Like I could do just about anything.

I’ve made a decision. There will be no more hiding out. Not from Felix, the cowardly fucker whose weaknesses are making him a prime target for the vampires to manipulate.

Not the Bad Vamps, as Roscoe has taken to calling them.

Not the Archarcans, or anyone else in this city who wants to keep themselves up high by dragging others into the dirt.

Fabian and Zeph have taken off to relay what we learned about the Bad Vamps to the Archarcans in a one-to-one meeting set up without Felix’s involvement. While they’re busy doing that, Roscoe and I head out to a separate part of town.

It’s been a couple of days since my last near-death experience and there’s an itch under my skin. I need to dosomething. I can’t sit on my hands, or stay in bed with Roscoe all day, no matter how much I might be tempted to.

It would certainly be easier. But I’m not going to hide out inside Zeph’s apartment anymore.

Plus, it’s been too long since I last saw my family. I haven’t fully filled them in on what happened with Simpson, since itdidn’t really seem like a conversation you should have over the phone.

When we get to the cafe, there are a couple of unfamiliar people behind the counter. Roscoe gives them a wave as he leads me through to the back. He then guides me to the stairs leading up to the apartment that’s become my family’s new home.

It’s my first time visiting, even though they’ve apparently been here for weeks now. Three weeks have passed since the ritual where Fabian’s curse was cured and my gut clenches with guilt at how I’ve dropped the ball recently.

I know there’s been a million other things going on, but I’ve always found time for my family before.

The stairwell is narrow, and a little busted up, with bits of paint flaking all over the carpet.

As soon as we step inside the apartment, it’s a different story. The door flings open before I even have a chance to knock and I’m greeted with the sight of a gorgeous mythical landscape scene painted across one wall. The image is complete with a small girl fighting a dragon. The rest of the place is an open plan space with a kitchen at one end and a living room at the other. Ember’s arty influence is all over the place.

I only get a second to take in the apartment before I’m swept up in an exuberant group hug with Hanna, Luna, and the twins all wrapping their arms around me and squeezing tight.

“Missed you, Silv,” Hanna says softly into my ear.

“It’s been pretty weird moving to a new place and not having you right next door,” Luna adds with a soft smile.

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