A Little Wicked (The Bewitching Hour Book #4)(31)

Before she knew what was happening, she spoke. “Claire survived a massive life-or-death situation and jumped into a relationship with you. She’s never had a boyfriend before so the chances that this will work out with you are slim to none. You don’t like yourself, and being with someone as unique as Claire makes you feel better about yourself and inadequate compared to her at the same time. But you’re not with her because you love her. Just because you love how she makes you feel. Which kind of makes you an asshole.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she covered her lips with the palm of her hand and gasped. “What did you just do to me?”

He shook his head and stepped back. “Sorry, I—”

Her fist shot out and slammed into his stupid beautiful cheekbone. The crack echoed through the room.

He groaned in pain, but she wasn’t done. She threw another right hook at him, but he was more prepared this time and grabbed her wrist. But her knees still had a clear shot. She purposefully avoided the groin and showed him just how flexible she was and went for his gut instead.

But instead of folding over in pain, he threw his weight into her and pushed her against the door. “I get it!” he bellowed as he tried to immobilize her. “I won’t do it again.”

“Damn right you won’t,” she said, right into his face. “What the fuck gives you the right to invade my mind? I’ve done nothing but help you, you son of a bitch.” She wanted to go on for hours about how pissed off she was, but she didn’t see the point right now and clenched her jaw.

“I’m going to let you go,” he said carefully.

“You think I couldn’t get out of this if I wanted to?” she snapped. “I’m a detective for fuck’s sake and—”

He let her go and she had to regain her balance and tried not to fall right on Claire, who was still out cold. She stared in annoyance at Dante and tried to figure out whether she should’ve hit him more. But then he would try that brain thing with her again and she sure as hell didn’t want that. Derek said mind control was a thing, but experiencing it was a violation she never thought about.

Especially considering she was alone in a room with this guy for who knew how long. She glanced at her watch. If she was here for another hour, she’d revisit the idea of killing him.

––––––––



––––––––

The door flew off its hinges and across the room. Sam said a silent thanks that it didn’t hit anyone she knew on the other side. She and Derek stepped inside and glanced around the dark, abandoned bank, looking for any sign of Dante and Claire. They should’ve beaten her and Derek there. She snapped her fingers and held some fire in her palm as they moved farther into the room. She’d been pretty depleted after her encounter with Abigail at the ruins, but the drive back, even at breakneck speed with the siren on, had given her a little bit of time to recharge.

The adrenaline of the evening had helped charge her up too. What would really help would be a few hours alone with Derek, but they didn’t really have time for that right now.

He glanced to the flame in her hand. “You’re getting better at that.”

“Slowly but surely,” she said as they moved farther in. “Did you text Angela to tell her we’re in?”

“I will.” She realized he had his gun drawn and ready, so she assumed he didn’t want to distract himself with his phone. It was comforting to have him with her. Not just because he was her boyfriend, but because he was a cop. He knew how to go into dark rooms and react when things came running out of the dark.

Even so, she stayed right by his side, careful not to let him walk in front of her. If they saw the hounds, theoretically they’d be reasonably safe. The dogs hadn’t killed them right away back at the ruins. They were focused on Claire.

She glanced around the abandoned building. “How has this stayed unoccupied for so long?”

“It’s evidence in a fraud case.”

“The building is evidence?”

“The joys of the judicial system and an overpriced lawyer.”

“They’re not all bad,” she said, thinking of her mother. The way her mother used to be. Would she ever see Abigail again? The real Abigail?

Heather had seemed as if she could be saved, but Claudia obviously didn’t agree. And didn’t Claudia know better than anyone about what the darkness was capable of?

Her magic did absolutely nothing to Abigail. Derek’s bullets didn’t damage her at all. Claudia was.... She had no idea what Claudia was doing. So what options did they really have? Just run away and hope Abigail didn’t destroy the world?

Maybe if this was anyone else, but this was her mother. This was family and one of the few family members she had left now that Heather was gone.

“Sam,” whispered Derek next to her.

She jumped and looked over her shoulder at him.

“Keep focused,” he said.

She wondered how he knew her mind had wandered to a dark place and then she realized that the fire in her hand had expanded to a pulsating ball. Oh.

She pulled back to keep it just enough to light up the room. She moved her arm around to light up the corners and the four glowing eyes seemed to jump out at her. The hounds, which had been dead silent before, took a step closer to her, and she screamed, “Claire!”