flesh filling her nostrils as she leaned over
him.
Wrinkling her nose in distaste, Layla moved back to suck in
clean air. Repulsed but determined to help the wizard, she steeled her nerves
before she calmed herself and drew on her power. Her hands tingled with the
warmth of her energy. Channeling her fear and the adrenaline of the moment, she
murmured a simple healing incantation to speed the healing process.
Riley’s harsh breaths slowed. Layla watched as the worst of
his burn knitted together. He wiped at his temple, relief in his gaze.
“Thanks,” he panted. “Can’t believe that bastard got the
drop on me. Five minutes earlier and we’d have been either dead on the floor
with the witches or we could have saved them.”
Layla eyed the dead witches, unsure herself whether they
would have been similar casualties or not. She recognized Brit from the photos
she’d seen. The other witch was a middle-aged, older version of Brit. They
shared facial features and bone structure, the older witch’s countenance
slightly wrinkled and her hair a few shades lighter.
“Brit went to her mom,” Layla guessed. “She knew she was in
trouble and she turned to her mother for help. I wonder how she’s involved in
this. Clearly with the security system she has powerful connections.”
“The rest of the place is clean,” Ben returned. He held a
hand out to Riley, who took it and helped himself gingerly to his feet. Leaning
heavily on his unhurt side, the wizard appeared pale but recovering.
“The good news is I’ll be able to Track that bastard to
hell,” Riley panted. “The bad news is I missed him, my bullet is lodged in the
wall somewhere.”
“I knew there was a reason you never made it as a Shooter,”
Ben teased him. Riley chuckled and nodded to the two murdered witches.
“I don’t know about you, buddy, but I’m not keen to be here
when the cavalry arrives. There might be a few too many questions.”
“Especially considering most of our answers revolve around a
giant conspiracy most people don’t know anything about,” Ben agreed. He stepped
close to Riley, allowing the wizard to use him as a crutch.
“I know a discreet Healer,” Layla offered. “I can drive us
over there. He’ll see us straight away.”
“Sounds good to me. The last thing I want is to admit to my
own Healer some asshole got the drop on me. I’ll never live it down.”
Riley hissed as he tried to walk on his injured leg. The
rawness of the wound had calmed in response to Layla’s first aid. However, it
still looked painful and swollen, the skin around the burn pink, tender and not
fully formed. Ben assisted Riley out the back door the way they had arrived.
Layla paused on the edge of the backyard, hesitant to leave without searching
the house for anything that might be helpful in their Investigation.
Although it galled her curious nature, she knew leaving was
the sensible option. The Enforcers took a dim view of others being at the scene
of a crime. They didn’t have time to answer endless questions, nor try to
explain their actions. The paperwork alone that would be involved should they
become embroiled in an internal review made her head spin.
Ben and Riley had already made it halfway down the street
when her lover turned to glance over his shoulder at her.
“You coming, babe?”
“There might be something useful in Brit’s mom’s house,” she
suggested as she ran to catch up with the two wizards.
“I should be able to talk us into the cottage, depending on
who’s put in charge, once they’ve completed their initial review,” Ben assured
her.
“And I can probably get permission to enter Brit’s condo if
it comes to that,” Layla decided. “If not, Rob—or Grant Gower, certainly—can
pull some strings for us.”
Feeling relieved, she held out her hand for Ben’s keys. He
dug into his pocket and tossed them to her. She hurried ahead of the two men,
unlocked the doors and opened them so Riley could hobble
him.
Wrinkling her nose in distaste, Layla moved back to suck in
clean air. Repulsed but determined to help the wizard, she steeled her nerves
before she calmed herself and drew on her power. Her hands tingled with the
warmth of her energy. Channeling her fear and the adrenaline of the moment, she
murmured a simple healing incantation to speed the healing process.
Riley’s harsh breaths slowed. Layla watched as the worst of
his burn knitted together. He wiped at his temple, relief in his gaze.
“Thanks,” he panted. “Can’t believe that bastard got the
drop on me. Five minutes earlier and we’d have been either dead on the floor
with the witches or we could have saved them.”
Layla eyed the dead witches, unsure herself whether they
would have been similar casualties or not. She recognized Brit from the photos
she’d seen. The other witch was a middle-aged, older version of Brit. They
shared facial features and bone structure, the older witch’s countenance
slightly wrinkled and her hair a few shades lighter.
“Brit went to her mom,” Layla guessed. “She knew she was in
trouble and she turned to her mother for help. I wonder how she’s involved in
this. Clearly with the security system she has powerful connections.”
“The rest of the place is clean,” Ben returned. He held a
hand out to Riley, who took it and helped himself gingerly to his feet. Leaning
heavily on his unhurt side, the wizard appeared pale but recovering.
“The good news is I’ll be able to Track that bastard to
hell,” Riley panted. “The bad news is I missed him, my bullet is lodged in the
wall somewhere.”
“I knew there was a reason you never made it as a Shooter,”
Ben teased him. Riley chuckled and nodded to the two murdered witches.
“I don’t know about you, buddy, but I’m not keen to be here
when the cavalry arrives. There might be a few too many questions.”
“Especially considering most of our answers revolve around a
giant conspiracy most people don’t know anything about,” Ben agreed. He stepped
close to Riley, allowing the wizard to use him as a crutch.
“I know a discreet Healer,” Layla offered. “I can drive us
over there. He’ll see us straight away.”
“Sounds good to me. The last thing I want is to admit to my
own Healer some asshole got the drop on me. I’ll never live it down.”
Riley hissed as he tried to walk on his injured leg. The
rawness of the wound had calmed in response to Layla’s first aid. However, it
still looked painful and swollen, the skin around the burn pink, tender and not
fully formed. Ben assisted Riley out the back door the way they had arrived.
Layla paused on the edge of the backyard, hesitant to leave without searching
the house for anything that might be helpful in their Investigation.
Although it galled her curious nature, she knew leaving was
the sensible option. The Enforcers took a dim view of others being at the scene
of a crime. They didn’t have time to answer endless questions, nor try to
explain their actions. The paperwork alone that would be involved should they
become embroiled in an internal review made her head spin.
Ben and Riley had already made it halfway down the street
when her lover turned to glance over his shoulder at her.
“You coming, babe?”
“There might be something useful in Brit’s mom’s house,” she
suggested as she ran to catch up with the two wizards.
“I should be able to talk us into the cottage, depending on
who’s put in charge, once they’ve completed their initial review,” Ben assured
her.
“And I can probably get permission to enter Brit’s condo if
it comes to that,” Layla decided. “If not, Rob—or Grant Gower, certainly—can
pull some strings for us.”
Feeling relieved, she held out her hand for Ben’s keys. He
dug into his pocket and tossed them to her. She hurried ahead of the two men,
unlocked the doors and opened them so Riley could hobble
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