Broken Bonds (Lizzie Grace 3)

“Yes. But even so, I can’t imagine the hunters would hand them out wholesale, if only because she said the control charm was basic. Receiving multiple signals is generally beyond the capability of such a device.”

“Then we need to find the rest of the bracelets before they get the chance to release any more.”

I nodded. “It’ll take about half an hour to do the groundwork and create the spell, so if you’ve anything else to do, you might as well go do that.”

“That sounds like you’re trying to get rid of me.”

“Well, no, but you said you were working and I wasn’t sure if you wanted to hang around here doing nothing.”

“I’m not doing nothing—I’m sitting here talking to two lovely ladies about a current case.”

“A comment that suggests he’s angling for a brownie as well as a free coffee,” Belle said, as she placed a basic white mug down in front of him.

While we had all manner of cups and mugs in the place—many of which held resonances of those who had owned and used them in the past, and which could often be used to brighten someone’s day by bringing back memories of happier times or events—we’d learned very early on that most werewolves, Aiden included, had no sensitivity when it came to such things. We now gave them the cheap white ones and reserved the others for those who needed them.

Aiden’s smile broke loose. “Well, if you’re going to insist, I’d love one.”

Belle shook her head and headed back to the counter. I picked up my hot chocolate and rose. “I’ll go do the spell. I’m sure Belle can keep you entertained while I’m gone.”

“No, she can’t, because she’s heading to Émigré tonight to do some dancing.” Belle placed the brownie in front of him. “But I’ll bring down the book on dark witches—that will keep you out of trouble, I’m sure.”

“More than happy to read it,” he replied. “But I’m not likely to pick up much given my knowledge about magic and witches in general is pretty basic.”

“I’ll just get you to tag anything you think is crucial,” Belle said. “We can check it out later.”

“Sure,” he said, but his gaze was on me as I walked toward the reading room rather than Belle—something I knew by the heat burning into my spine.

My awareness of the man seemed to be developing into an almost psychic-like link.

No, it’s just your sex-starved hormones kicking into a higher gear, Belle said, amusement evident. I daresay it’ll all die down once you’ve spent a few more weeks in the man’s bed.

I’ve three years to make up for, I replied blandly. That’s going to take more than a few weeks given we both have jobs and do need to sleep.

Stamina, she said, a sorrowful note in her mental tones. My witch has none of it.

I snorted mentally and felt her wince down through the line.

Tart. She paused. Do you want me to stay behind tonight, just in case something goes wrong yet again?

Hell no. We can’t remain in this reservation if we’re going to start putting our lives on hold on the off chance something goes wrong.

I know, but—

No buts. Well, not that kind, at any rate. I’m sure you’ll find more than a few of the other kind ready to share a little caress or two while dancing.

Amen to that, sister.

I grinned but didn’t reply as I stepped into the reading room and closed the door. The energy here was warm and calming, and the tension that had been riding me since the first skinning once again fled. It would undoubtedly settle on my shoulders anew once I walked out, but for the moment, it was nice to be without burden.

I pushed the table and chairs to one side and then rolled up the carpet square. The spell work we’d painted onto the floor gleamed softly in the pale glow of the single globe that lit this room, and the intricacy of the patterns was something I was very proud of. Neither of us was university trained, but we did have two advantages over those who were—the books from Belle’s gran, and a willingness to explore and experiment. At the very least, not following conventions when it came to spell work gave us time to either react to an attack or flee.

And that would save us. Save me.

I frowned at the thought and the trepidation that came with it. But as usual, when it came to those sorts of premonitions, there was little in the way of explanation or follow-up.

I gathered all the things I needed and then, once I’d created my protection circle—an extra layer that I didn’t really need in this room but did out of habit—I sat cross-legged on the floor and studied the bracelet with my “other” senses. After several minutes, I began to see the pattern with the magic. While the spell wasn’t one I’d ever come across before, it wasn’t all that complicated.

I took a deep breath to center my energy, and then slowly began my counterspell, weaving the threads of it through and around the other witch’s spell until it was securely wrapped. Then, carefully, I began the reversal procedure. It wouldn’t prevent the bracelets still in the hands of the hunters from being used, but we would at least be able to use this bracelet to track the other seven—or maybe even eight, depending on whether the thread we’d found from that first tracker had disabled it—down.