The Viper's Nest (Kit Davenport #4)(64)

“Right, well, thanks again.” I gave her a small smile, then headed toward the door in order to make my exit from the backyard once more. Regardless of Bridget’s explanations, I really did feel like I’d learned enough from her. Kit had cut herself while attempting to cook dinner a few nights ago, and my fangs hadn’t even dropped.

Admittedly, I’d clenched my fists so tightly my short nails had cut crescent moons into my palms, but that wasn’t the point. The point was, I was getting a handle on things.

A rustling of movement near the hedges caught my attention, and I let my other sight click in so I could see clearer. As well as letting me see magical essence, it also let me see better in the dark. In this case, both were useful.

“Hey!” I called out to the fox, who was most definitely a shifter if the magic surrounding him was any indication. He’d already taken off though, his white-tipped tail disappearing through the dense branches of the hedge. I couldn’t help thinking it was the same fox who’d been lurking around Kit back at CFA.

Bridget made a small noise behind me, pulling my attention, and I glanced around to find her looking... shocked?

“What is it?” I asked her, suspicion riding high in my voice. “Who was that?”

“Hmm?” She raised her brows at me, like she’d suddenly remembered I was still there. “No one. Safe travels.” She slammed the sliding door shut, flicked the lock, and dropped the blind in one smooth move.

Weird, creepy bitch.

I started toward the lawn to portal out back to Kitty Kat, but froze when I heard Bridget’s voice from inside. My other sight was still engaged, and it tended to sharpen my hearing more than the average person’s.

“No, I don’t know!” Bridget was whisper-shouting to someone, presumably on the phone. “You told me he was sniffing around to break the geas, but you didn’t tell me Victor had found my damn location already!”

Shit. The fox was Vic... and if Vic was Kit’s biological father... would he feel a duty to tell Kit he’d seen me here? With her?

Fuck. I needed to get back and break this damn NDA fast. If Kit found out about Bridget from someone else... someone not me... Shit, this is not good.

Casting faster than the eye could see, I portaled myself back to the luxurious hotel suite we had set up our new base in, thanks to Vali’s never-ending supply of bribes and fake ID’s.

“Kitty Kat?” I called out, trying really hard not to let worry cloud my voice. The only way I could think of to break Bridget’s confidentiality clause was to bond with Kit. Maybe I wasn’t totally ready, but there was no time left. I had to be the one to tell her. It had to come from me.

“Hey bro.” Austin yawned, coming out of one of the bedrooms wearing nothing but a towel and looking exhausted. “What’s up?”

“Is Kit in there?” I asked. “I need to ask her something really important.”

“She stupidly went out with Vali to get some air. The magic shit was messing with her head again, and she was starting to throw fireballs at me.” Austin shrugged. “God forbid she remember that people are trying to kidnap and kill her, but apparently the dragon is good enough protection.” He wasn’t as concerned about Kit’s increasing temper as everyone else seemed to be. Maybe because he liked her angry and unstable? Made her more like him, I guessed.

“When are they due back, do you know?” I demanded, clenching my fists at my sides to stop them shaking. The threat of Vic getting to her first was making me freak all the way out, even though I knew he had a long way to travel from Washington down to where we were in LA... Just how fast could foxes run? Or would he shift back into human and drive? Or fly?

Oh, God. I was going to get a stomach ulcer.

“No idea.” My twin shrugged, running a hand through his dark hair and flicking water droplets everywhere. “What’s the big panic anyway?”

“Just... I need to talk to her.” I chewed the inside of my cheek while I debated my next move. Kit was safe with Vali, I knew this. But they could be gone for hours yet...

“Hey, can you take a look at an amulet for me?” I asked Austin, remembering the bracelet in my pocket. He’d said Kit’s magic was driving her nuts again, and bonding me would only make it worse, so I wanted to have a safe option available for her.

Austin nodded, and I tossed the piece of jewelry over to him. He raised an eyebrow at me, then snapped his fingers to bring Tyson into existence. He didn’t have the cool ability to switch to other sight himself; he relied on Tyson to do it for him.

The big tiger materialized beside his master in a flash of light, then yawned his massive jaws in an echo of Austin’s own exhaustion.

Austin said nothing, just held the bracelet up to Tyson to look at and sniff. They were doubtlessly communicating via Mage bond... something I was supremely jealous of, even though I desperately hoped not to get my own familiar.

It was a cool trick. Not exactly like telepathy, more just that Tyson’s knowledge automatically appeared in Austin’s mind. And vise versa.

“It’s spelled,” Austin pointed out the obvious, and I rolled my eyes.

“No shit, asshole.” I flopped down onto the couch and rubbed my forehead. “My mentor gave it to me for Kit. It’s supposed to help her control the conflicting magics from her bonds, but I wanted us to double-check that is what the spell is first.”