I turned, not needing any more incentive. We couldn’t afford to be locked in here for weeks, and now that we knew Marcy was safe, our agenda with Tally had changed. My staying here would risk unneeded damage to her Coven. Rourke was in front of me, and Nick’s hand rested on my shoulder. I glanced back before I went through the doorway.
She met my gaze and nodded once. “Marcy doesn’t trust many people, but she’s chosen to trust you,” Tally said. “I’ll consider your request to exchange information. That’s all I can do.”
“Thank you,” I said as we left.
Tally called behind us, “Head down to the carport. Take a vehicle, and once you’re out, get somewhere far from here. The sorcerers’ network is fairly small. If you get out of town quickly, you should be able to stay ahead of them.”
We didn’t look back as we raced through the house.
Another explosion rocked the grounds as we ran. The witches seemed eager for a fight. In the time between the two blasts, they had all donned heavy military gear: vests, boots, guns, knives, and bows. The house had become a militia in less than three minutes.
Note to self: Don’t f**k with the witches.
We followed our scent trail and Rourke skidded to a stop in front of the basement door. He yanked it open and we ran down the steps to the underground garage. We barreled into the room that held the hydraulic lift only to find it was completely empty.
Save one person.
Angie’s lips curled with distaste. The feeling was more than mutual.
I fisted my hands, forcing myself to ignore her with everything I had. I turned in a full circle, but the room was bare. No Humvee and no other vehicles in sight.
“Looking for something?” she sneered as she angled her body back against the concrete wall, clearly enjoying what she thought was her moment.
I turned to Rourke and he nodded once, needing no other prompts. He took a menacing step toward Angie, his shoulders back, his growl low. Her eyes widened, but she stayed put.
“Listen, you—” I said as Rourke continued to pace toward her.
Before I could get the words out, Nick’s hands went up, interrupting me. My eyebrows arched. Nick addressed the witch, “I know it doesn’t appear that way, but we’d much rather handle this without violence.” Angie was looking more alarmed by the second, which worked in our favor. “But only if you cooperate. Tallulah, your Coven mistress, ordered us to find a car. If we stay here, the sorcerers will keep attacking. We leave and they … eventually leave. She wants us out, and it seems you’re the only one who can help us.”
Nick was right to try and avoid catastrophe, but I was too mad to put things into perspective. It wasn’t going to be a fair fight, since Angie didn’t stand a chance against us, and if we did her harm, we could count Tally and Ceres as enemies. He had the right idea, and I was going to have to control my wolf, who was laser focused on inflicting some payback.
Rourke stopped moving, awaiting her decision to cooperate on her own.
A nasty smile lingered on her lips once she realized we weren’t going to tear her to pieces. “Yes, well, we’ve taken your vehicle as payment for your entrance, which is why you don’t see it here.”
“You … you can’t do that,” I snarled. “It was packed with all our supplies. You can’t just take what you want—” I stomped forward as Nick whipped his arm out to keep me back.
Angie moved forward as well, her irises sparking with a low scarlet light. “You just had your future foretold. Do you think that comes without a cost? Ignorance must be one of your best qualities. I’m sure your mother is very proud.” She knew shifters were raised by their fathers. My mother had died in childbirth.
I clamped my teeth together, and a fierce growl, fueled by my pissed-off wolf, echoed around the room. I wanted nothing more than to wring her beautiful neck. “I’m willing to pay the price for meeting with Maggie,” I managed with as much calm as I could muster. “But taking our vehicle and supplies without our consent is not in good faith.” Witches were notorious for charging exorbitant fees. “You are free to bill us for services rendered, but we want our vehicle back now.”
She cackled. “Well, it’s gone. Do you see it in here?” She mocked looking around the room.
Nick cleared his throat, but before he could speak, Rourke cut in, his voice laced with danger. “The truck doesn’t matter. We need a vehicle. Any will do. And I suggest you deliver one in the next three seconds or I will tear your throat out.”
Angie’s face changed for the merest second, but it was enough. “Well, I guess it’s your lucky day then, because I have one vehicle left.” She pushed off the wall and shouldered past me, her glossy hair swinging behind her.
By the smallest margin imaginable I resisted the urge to yank it completely out of her head, my hands curling inward.
She lifted her fingers at a far wall. A door, seamlessly hidden, lifted, making no sound. Behind it stood a lone vehicle.
An ancient-looking Vespa.
My voice sounded savage in my ears. “You expect us to escape on a scooter? You must be out of your mind. We need something with four doors and a roof. And there are three of us, not two, in case you haven’t noticed.”
Hands on her hips, she declared, “This is what I have available. Everyone left after the first explosion. It’s actually the best-concealed transportation we have. Spells go by weight—the bigger the object, the harder to spell. Your precious Humvee will only stay spelled for a few hours at most. This one”—she gestured at the aged moped—“will stay spelled for a week.” Her eyes glittered with laughter. She was playing us, but another explosion hit and there was no more time to argue. “Take it or leave it. That’s all I have.”
I took a step forward and Nick wrapped his hands around my shoulders, steering me away from her and toward the battered Vespa. “Jess, listen to me,” he whispered in my ear. “Just get on it and go. You’re running out of time, and arguing with her is not doing us any good. The sorcerers will arrive soon. Head out while you still have time, and once they stop the assault, I’ll head back to the Safe House. Everything will work out.”
Rourke walked over and grabbed the scooter by the handlebars and lifted it out of its parking space with the effort it took an accountant to lift his phone. He strode over to the platform and set it down with a clang, snarling, “If this thing breaks down once we’re outside, I’m coming back in here to kill you. Do you understand me?”