helpless against them. She could do small spells, but nothing
that would be of any use in a fight. Her heart raced in her chest as she
watched the scene unfold.
Whatever
Cade was doing, it was creating a large energy ball, or at least that’s what it
looked like. The light grew until it encompassed the demon from head to foot,
wrapping him in the bright, white light. Asmoth screamed and thrashed, unable to break the bonds of the spell. The warlocks
flanking Cade helped hold the demon in place while the magick ran its course.
The spell pulsed with energy, then a beam shot
straight up from the middle of the orb, the light sucking the life force from
the demon. She watched as the red and black sludge that rose from the demon
evaporated in the air.
It
seemed like it took forever, but Breena knew only
minutes passed. The demon seemed to collapse in on himself until there was nothing else but smoke and ash. When Cade was finished, he
turned his attention on the witch, who was struggling to break free from the
grasp of two werewolves and the binding spell a warlock had placed on her. The
purple haze had wrapped around her like tight ropes, binding her arms in place.
Cade
withdrew something from his pocket, a small satchel. Without pause, he launched
it at the witch, the werewolves letting go a split second before it hit. She
screamed. Red smoke streamed from her pores and filled the air. Everyone took a
step back, giving her room, obviously not wanting the smoke to touch them. She
couldn’t blame them. It was probably toxic. Whatever Cade had used, it was
potent and very effective. After a few minutes, the smoke dissipated and the
witch slumped to the ground.
Breena wasn’t sure if
the woman was dead, or had merely passed out. Either Cade had stripped her of
her powers and had drawn the evil from her, or he had killed the woman. Breena couldn’t summon a single ounce of pity for the
creature, knowing that the woman would have killed her without a second
thought. Cade stopped and looked around. When his gaze settled on her, she
broke into a run, launching herself into his arms.
“I’m
sorry,” she said, as she buried her face against his neck. “I never should have
pushed you away, never should have—”
“ Shh . You did what you had to do,” he said. “I don’t blame
you for what happened. This wasn’t your fault, it was mine.”
She
pulled back, looking up into his eyes. “How was this your fault?”
“By
claiming you, I put you in danger. I have many enemies, Breena .
I doubt this will be the last time someone tries to use you against me. I can
ward your home better, etch the wards directly on your
skin, if you’ll allow me to do so. But even then, there’s no guarantee someone
won’t come for you, find you, and take you prisoner, hoping that I’ll agree to
their demands to get you back.”
“Surely
they’ll think twice about it now that you’ve taken down a demon and a vile,
black-arts-casting witch.”
He
shook his head. “If anything, it will make them want to take me on. I just
painted a bull’s eye on you, sweetheart, and for that, I’m truly sorry. I’m
not, however, sorry for claiming you as mine. Mates are extremely rare,
especially for my kind, and I couldn’t let you get away.”
She
cuddled closer to him. “Take me away from here, Cade. I need a bath and a
cleansing spell.”
“Anything
you want, but I’m afraid your home isn’t ready for you right now. I’ll have
someone come in and clean it, put everything to
rights. I’ll buy you new furniture, if you wish, or have yours magickally repaired.”
She
toyed with a button on his shirt. “Actually, I was thinking I could stay with
you for a little while, see how things go.”
His
heart raced under her palm, and she knew her words had excited him. It was
obvious he liked the idea of having her in his home. He was probably thinking
of having her in his bed, a place she was more than willing to be, and soon.
Her time with the
that would be of any use in a fight. Her heart raced in her chest as she
watched the scene unfold.
Whatever
Cade was doing, it was creating a large energy ball, or at least that’s what it
looked like. The light grew until it encompassed the demon from head to foot,
wrapping him in the bright, white light. Asmoth screamed and thrashed, unable to break the bonds of the spell. The warlocks
flanking Cade helped hold the demon in place while the magick ran its course.
The spell pulsed with energy, then a beam shot
straight up from the middle of the orb, the light sucking the life force from
the demon. She watched as the red and black sludge that rose from the demon
evaporated in the air.
It
seemed like it took forever, but Breena knew only
minutes passed. The demon seemed to collapse in on himself until there was nothing else but smoke and ash. When Cade was finished, he
turned his attention on the witch, who was struggling to break free from the
grasp of two werewolves and the binding spell a warlock had placed on her. The
purple haze had wrapped around her like tight ropes, binding her arms in place.
Cade
withdrew something from his pocket, a small satchel. Without pause, he launched
it at the witch, the werewolves letting go a split second before it hit. She
screamed. Red smoke streamed from her pores and filled the air. Everyone took a
step back, giving her room, obviously not wanting the smoke to touch them. She
couldn’t blame them. It was probably toxic. Whatever Cade had used, it was
potent and very effective. After a few minutes, the smoke dissipated and the
witch slumped to the ground.
Breena wasn’t sure if
the woman was dead, or had merely passed out. Either Cade had stripped her of
her powers and had drawn the evil from her, or he had killed the woman. Breena couldn’t summon a single ounce of pity for the
creature, knowing that the woman would have killed her without a second
thought. Cade stopped and looked around. When his gaze settled on her, she
broke into a run, launching herself into his arms.
“I’m
sorry,” she said, as she buried her face against his neck. “I never should have
pushed you away, never should have—”
“ Shh . You did what you had to do,” he said. “I don’t blame
you for what happened. This wasn’t your fault, it was mine.”
She
pulled back, looking up into his eyes. “How was this your fault?”
“By
claiming you, I put you in danger. I have many enemies, Breena .
I doubt this will be the last time someone tries to use you against me. I can
ward your home better, etch the wards directly on your
skin, if you’ll allow me to do so. But even then, there’s no guarantee someone
won’t come for you, find you, and take you prisoner, hoping that I’ll agree to
their demands to get you back.”
“Surely
they’ll think twice about it now that you’ve taken down a demon and a vile,
black-arts-casting witch.”
He
shook his head. “If anything, it will make them want to take me on. I just
painted a bull’s eye on you, sweetheart, and for that, I’m truly sorry. I’m
not, however, sorry for claiming you as mine. Mates are extremely rare,
especially for my kind, and I couldn’t let you get away.”
She
cuddled closer to him. “Take me away from here, Cade. I need a bath and a
cleansing spell.”
“Anything
you want, but I’m afraid your home isn’t ready for you right now. I’ll have
someone come in and clean it, put everything to
rights. I’ll buy you new furniture, if you wish, or have yours magickally repaired.”
She
toyed with a button on his shirt. “Actually, I was thinking I could stay with
you for a little while, see how things go.”
His
heart raced under her palm, and she knew her words had excited him. It was
obvious he liked the idea of having her in his home. He was probably thinking
of having her in his bed, a place she was more than willing to be, and soon.
Her time with the
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