“Ori—” he gasped.
A gloved hand clamped over his mouth. Appearing out of nowhere, Zak pulled the sorcerer forward, then smashed him into the nearest column. The rogue crumpled to the ground, unused talisman clattering against the concrete.
“Are you hurt?” Zak asked me.
I tried to say no but couldn’t make a sound. Miming speech, I gestured helplessly at my mouth.
“Silencing spell?” he guessed. “It’ll wear off in a couple minutes.”
Could he sound any less concerned? I was voiceless here! It was awful!
On the street, the carnage was impressive—two flipped cars, several smoking craters, and three shattered streetlamps. The villains were nowhere in sight, so I assumed the druid and electramage had successfully driven them off. As always, Zak looked unscathed, minus the big yellow splatters on his back.
Kai joined us, his potion-smeared jacket hanging from one hand and dripping yellow goo on the ground. “Are you okay, Tori?”
I nodded. Silently.
“We should leave before—oh.”
I blinked at his frozen expression, then followed his gaze. He was staring at his sleek black motorcycle, lying on its side. Ah. That metallic crunch sound. His bike.
With the pain of a bereft father in his eyes, Kai heaved his motorcycle up, while Zak and I waited at a respectful distance. A gory puddle gleamed beneath the tires, and I could smell the gasoline. Our first casualty.
Kai sighed sorrowfully. “The edge of the planter punctured the gas tank.”
So … that meant we wouldn’t be riding it home. I cautiously cleared my throat—and actual noise rasped from my vocal cords. I could speak again!
Suppressing the urge to whoop, I murmured gravely, “I’m sorry, Kai. You can get it fixed, right?”
Zak’s hood turned toward me. “Your voice is back.”
“Don’t sound so disappointed.” I poked his arm. “Did you drive? Can we catch a ride with you?”
His sigh was as pained as Kai’s. “Fine.”
“Thanks. You’re the best.”
“I thought I was a shitty friend? Make up your mind.” He turned toward the street. “Bring the bike. You don’t want to leave it here.”
The druid, the human, the mage, and the motorcycle made their ragtag way onto the sidewalk, the latter leaving a gruesome trail of bodily fluid in its wake. We walked in an odd silence, passing endless lines of shiny BMWs and Mercedes.
Zak led us through a stinky alley and onto a quiet one-way street with metered parking. Stuffing a hand in his coat pocket, he pulled out a set of keys. The fob beeped, and a pair of taillights flashed in answer.
Stopping dead, I looked at the vehicle, then at the druid, then back at the vehicle. “This is yours? This?”
He kept walking. “Why are you so offended?”
I pointed like he couldn’t see it. The lifted pickup truck towered over the nearby cars, its big, deep-tread tires hungry to flatten inferior vehicles. Mud around the wheel wells splattered the dark blue paint.
“But that’s a truck.” I rushed to catch up with him, Kai trailing behind with his bike. “I figured you’d drive a Prius or something. You know, a non-gas-guzzling monstrosity.”
“It’s diesel, not gas.” He lowered the tailgate. “Tori, think about where I live.”
I scrunched my face, picturing the mountain valley. “Okay.”
“Now imagine trying to drive a car there. In the winter.”
My face contorted further, then relaxed in defeat. “Fine. The truck makes sense.”
Zak climbed onto the tailgate, and between him and Kai, they wrestled the motorcycle up onto the lined bed. Zak laid it on its side, then opened the metal box behind the cab and pulled out ratcheting straps to tie it down.
“This feels disturbingly normal,” I commented to no one as he worked, “and also very not normal.”
Kai shook his head and tossed his potion-stained jacket into the truck bed beside his bike.
Zak jumped down and shut the tailgate, then held out a rag to me. “Can you wipe this shit off my back?”
I took the cloth, stepped behind him, and started mopping up the potion drying on the black leather.
“You could just take your coat off,” I suggested, knowing he never would. “Or is it hiding all your scary potions?”
With my free hand, I patted a clean patch of leather to see if I could feel his belt of vials.
“I know you like my ass, Tori, but could you restrain yourself?”
I choked, my face flushing, and refused to look in Kai’s direction. “This yellow stuff is just smearing around and I don’t want to get it on my hands.”
“Fine. Toss the cloth in the box.”
As I pitched the rag over the tailgate, I heard a zipper and whirled back around. Zak had undone his coat, and I gasped as he pushed his hood off and shrugged out of the leather. The nearby streetlamp cast lovely shadows across his unfairly gorgeous face.
His unnaturally bright green eyes turned to Kai’s slack-jawed stare, silently daring the mage to comment, and tension thickened the air until I could barely breathe. Kai, wisely, said nothing.
Zak threw his coat into the box, then stripped his gloves off. I scanned his newly revealed outfit. To my surprise, he was wearing a different belt. The wide leather circled his hips, sporting built-in slots that held six test-tube vials just above his butt. I pursed my lips. He really did have a nice ass.
Four rough-cut crystals hung on ties around his neck, resting on a dark t-shirt. His muscular arms displayed feather tattoos that ran down from his shoulders, and circles marked his inner forearms, each one filled with a colorful rune—gifts of power from the fae he knew. A month ago, one circle had been empty, but now …
I pointed. “You got a new one.”
“Get in the truck, Tori.” He walked to the driver’s side, climbed in, and slammed the door.
Grimacing, I peeked at Kai. His stunned expression made me feel better about my initial meltdown at the sight of Zak’s face. Though, to be fair, Kai was probably feeling faint for different reasons.
“His eyes are freaky, right?” I mock-whispered.
“Tori …” Laser-like focus overtook Kai’s shock. He opened his mouth, then seemed to rethink whatever he’d been about to say. “Let’s go.”
He opened the passenger door and I heaved myself up—no step rail on this truck. The cab was spacious but it had no back seat, just one long bench. I crammed into the middle spot as Kai swung into the passenger seat and shut the door.
Zak inserted the key in the ignition. “Buckle up.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t want a traffic ticket?”
“Don’t want your thick head going through my windshield. Where to?”
As I gave directions to Aaron’s house, I grappled with my seatbelt. The bench would’ve been comfortable for two large men, but it was a tight fit for three people. The engine started with a rumble, and I pressed close to Kai to keep clear of Zak’s elbow as he steered the monster truck onto the road.
More awkward silence. I bit my lip, fighting the urge to speak. I couldn’t ask. Not yet. Not here. Must wait. Must … be … patient.
“You have a fiancée?” I burst out.
“Tori,” Kai growled warningly.
“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t keep it in.” I clasped my hands together. “Please explain before I die of curiosity.”
“Die of unsated snoopiness,” Zak muttered as the truck rolled to a stop at a red light.
“Butt out,” I snapped, then turned back to Kai. “How can you date so many women and be engaged? How can you be engaged if you haven’t spoken to her in years?”
Kai folded his arms and held his silence. I groaned.
“Arranged marriage,” Zak said matter-of-factly. “Common practice in the family.”
“How do you know that?”
He smirked. “A few years ago, I was offered the hand of one Fumi Yamada if I joined their guild and stopped m
essing up their business dealings. She was lovely, but I had to decline.”
“Huh.” I peered at Kai. “Is that what it is for you?”
He didn’t so much as twitch for a full minute, then gave a short nod. “Arranged at birth. I left the family seven years ago, but the engagement still stands.”
“But … you wouldn’t actually marry …?”
“No. Never.” His jaw flexed and I swore I heard his teeth grind. “But until she marries someone else, I’m technically spoken for.”
Spoken for. Kai, who dated an endless horde of beautiful women but never progressed to a relationship with any of them, considered himself unavailable. I didn’t understand how an engagement arranged by a family he’d ditched years ago could affect his romantic decisions now, but his fiancée had to be the reason he never dated anyone seriously.
Though why he didn’t just not date at all, like Ezra, confused me. Was it a distraction? A big middle finger to his family? Easy sex? Who knew, but that wasn’t a question I could ask in front of Zak. I did have some concept of boundaries.
I randomly clapped my hands. “This is just like a road trip! We should stop at a drive-through.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Zak demanded.
“Possibly. Have you ever been so tired that you surpassed tired and went giddy instead?”
He pressed his sexy mouth into a flat line. “The potions are in my bag behind the seat. I’ll get them out as soon as we stop.”
“What have you been giving her?” Kai asked sharply.
“I dosed her with a magic buffer potion, targeted to block fae magic, and a vitality potion altered for a human’s stamina. I might need to adjust the potency. The fae lord is burning through her strength.”
“You are an alchemist,” Kai muttered. “We weren’t sure.”
“He’s the best alchemist on the west coast.” Was I slurring? When they both looked at me, I figured I must be. I poked Zak in the arm. “Eyes on the road.”
“I’ll be frank, Kai,” Zak said as he returned his attention to driving. “She won’t survive this for long. I don’t know how anyone could. I can only assume the part of the ritual that would’ve protected the link’s recipient is missing. Otherwise, Red Rum’s witch would’ve been a dead man too.”
Kai absorbed that in silence. “Park here.”
Zak pulled up beside Aaron’s cottage-style house and executed a flawless parallel park between two sedans. I wasn’t jealous. No way.
Kai leaned around me to study the druid. “Tori can send you copies of the ritual, but I think it would be more efficient for you to examine the grimoire.” A long pause. “You should come inside.”
“Whoa,” I breathed. “You just invited the big bad Ghost into your house.”
“So your mage friends can ambush me?” Zak said, ignoring my babbling. He propped an elbow on the steering wheel. “I’ll pass.”
“Let me handle them.” Kai’s dark gaze flicked to me. “We don’t have time to waste. If I’ve learned anything from my family, it’s that enemies with the same goal make the best allies.”
“Only until the goal is met.” Zak rubbed the back of his neck. “Seeing the grimoire in person would be more useful.”
Kai nodded. I goggled in silence, unable to believe it.
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking I can’t protect myself against mages,” Zak warned. “You can’t see my familiars, but they can see you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Kai threw his door open and slid out.
Zak frowned at me, then opened his door and jumped out too.
I sat alone on the seat, blinking dumbly at the glowing windows of Aaron’s house. Then I scrambled into motion, hauling my exhausted ass out of the truck.
My mages and my biggest secret were about to clash, and I knew it was gonna get ugly.
Chapter Eighteen
Did I say ugly? I should’ve said gorgeous.
On one side of the living room, Zak and his godly face, supernaturally green irises, and short black hair contrasting with his fair skin. Beside him, Kai with his striking features, dark-as-sin eyes, and badass biker pants.
Across from them, Aaron with his copper hair mussed, a reddish shadow along his rugged jaw, and his intense blue eyes blazing. Ezra beside him, feet braced in a fighting stance, well-worn jeans hugging his strong legs, his brown curls teasing his mismatched eyes.
And me, leaning against the wall halfway between them, trying not to pant too obviously.
Was this a normal reaction to witnessing a confrontation so tense it was liable to break into violence at any moment? Probably not, but I was out of my mind with exhaustion and this much hot maleness in one room was too much to handle. My stupid brain refused to focus on anything else.
“So,” Kai said cautiously, having just finished a brief explanation about how Zak was helping me, “we’re going to play nice until Tori is safe.”
Oh yeah, baby. I wanted them all to play nice. Mm-hmm.
Realizing the direction of my thoughts, I gave myself a mental slap and focused properly on the threat of impending violence. A crystal around Zak’s neck was glowing. I didn’t remember him uttering an incantation, but he wasn’t taking any chances. His vargs were probably lurking nearby, invisible to all us non-Spiritalis people.
“I won’t tolerate a dark-arts-dealing, piece-of-shit rogue in my house for even a minute,” Aaron spat.
“You tolerate me,” Kai retorted.
“You gave that up years ago. Totally different.”
“Zak isn’t completely terrible,” I said dreamily, my attention diverted by Aaron’s eyes and the way they sparked like hot blue flames when he was angry. “He only murders bad people.”
All their gazes jerked toward me and Zak looked furious, but I didn’t know why.
“He’s a liar, Tori. Don’t believe anything he tells you.” Aaron’s lip curled. “I’m surprised you’re buying his act, Kai.”
“Have you ever known me to be gullible?” Kai barked. “Use your brain, Aaron. We have a dark-arts and fae-magic expert standing here, offering to save Tori. He can read the grimoire.”
Aaron bared his teeth. “He’s more likely to steal it than—”
“This isn’t about your ego—this is about Tori. Look at her! She’s practically delirious. The fae bond is killing her.”
They all looked at me again.
I smiled hesitantly. “Hi.”
Aaron shifted his weight. “No. It’s too risky. We found the grimoire and we’ll find someone we trust to read it.”
“You’re an idiot,” Zak snapped.
“You’ll regret ever laying a hand on Tori,” Aaron snarled. “Now that we’ve seen your face, and know your classes, and know your name, your date with the MPD is set.”
A slow, fierce smile curved Zak’s lips. “I think you’ll protect my identity, Sinclair.”
“Why the hell would I do that?”
I knew that look in Zak’s eyes. The same merciless, arctic anger had filled him when I’d revealed I worked at a guild—moments before he hit me with back-to-back spells.
His chilling gaze lingered ominously on Ezra. “You keep my secrets … and I’ll keep yours.”
A pulse of silence, then Kai swung away from Zak. Realigning. Changing sides. Now, instead of two against two, it was three against one.
“Oh?” Zak’s arms lifted away from his sides, limbs loosening as he readied himself. “You’d rather kill me?”
The terse truce was over. Battle was about to commence.
“Wait!” I shrieked, and all four men jumped. I lurched away from the wall, waving my hands. “Don’t fight, don’t fight! It’s fine! We’ll just—we can all swear super-magic oaths, okay? Everyone’s secrets will be safe.”
“Swear what?” Kai demanded.
“Magic oaths,” I babbled desperately, still waving as though the faint breeze produced by my hands could keep them apart. “Like the one he made me swear so I wouldn’t reveal anything ab
out him and his …”
I trailed off, the rest of my sentence forgotten. My fatigue-logged brain caught up to what I’d said—and panic exploded through me.
“Oh god!” I gasped and clapped my hands to my mouth. “Oh, no no no, I didn’t mean it! I didn’t say that!” My wild eyes shot to Zak, who was staring at me with growing horror. “Zak, I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
“Tori—” he rasped.
The oath forbade me from revealing its existence. I’d just blurted out everything in front of the guys—and now I would die.
My knees gave out. I crumpled to the floor, wailing in terror. “Zak, don’t let me die! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
Kai was at my side, arms wrapping around me. “Tori, what’s wrong?”
“I’m going to die,” I cried, my panic so intense it hurt, my chest bursting with terror—or was that the spell? Was the oath killing me already? “Zak!”
“What did you do to her?” Aaron roared, jumping between me and the druid.
“I didn’t—”
I wept hysterically, clutching my ribs. I couldn’t breathe. My heart was racing out of my chest. “I’m dying, it’s the oath, I broke it and it’s killing me and I—”
“Tori!” Zak bellowed over Aaron’s shouts and my wails. “The oath isn’t real!”
My shrill cries cut off. Not breathing, I lifted my tear-blurred gaze to him. He stood a foot away from Aaron, the pyromage blocking his approach.
“The oath isn’t real,” he repeated into the silence. “I faked it so you’d keep your mouth shut.”
“You … fake?”
“Fake.” He stepped back from Aaron and folded his arms. “No spell like that exists. But you believed it did, and I figured that would be enough to keep you quiet.”
I sat motionless on the floor, Kai’s arm around my shoulders. “Fake?”
Zak sighed. “That’s why I made you swear not to reveal it. Any sorcerer would have told you it’s impossible.”
I couldn’t move. My head swam as the panic attack faded … and something else built in its place.
“You bastard,” Aaron spat. “You terrified her with a fake spell?”
Two Witches and a Whiskey (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 3) Page 17