Natural Mage (Magical Mayhem #2)(85)

As he probably should’ve expected, she looked up at him with those huge blue eyes, widened in fear. An aura of her survival magic rose around her, the crystal white shrouding her like an angel. It was the most beautiful, pure, perplexing sight he’d probably ever seen. He’d never seen survival magic do that—wrap around the body and emit a vibe that would help keep the person safe.

The effect showcased her vulnerability and her desire to be protected—the reason the shifters were willing to take on Reagan and the mages for her. With the vampires, it probably did the opposite, pumping out a sort of challenge and authority to scare off newbies. Well…scare off the newbies and enrage ancient elders.

It was clear she had no idea she was doing it. Her subconscious and her magic were working together, responding to the situation how they deemed fit.

“What would happen if none of us had been trained in the current methods, Penny Bristol?” he asked, rubbing her back. “How many different ways of working magic would there be?”

“What do you mean?”

“Growing up as mages, we’re taught specific ways of doing things from an age when we don’t know how to think for ourselves. By the time we have the power to experiment with magic, we’re already entrenched in the supposedly ‘right’ way of doing things. I’ve learned a great many things out in the wilds by myself, things that have forced me to think outside of my teachings. It has given me an incredible edge over my peers. Made me the undisputed best. But I’ve still played by the rules, more or less. Bending them and breaking them occasionally, but always keeping them in mind. You…” He shook his head and glanced down the street, checking for followers. “You aren’t even using the same playbook.”

“When you first met me, you said that I just needed to will it, and it would be so. Or something like that.”

“Yes, I did. I remember that. I didn’t know you were a natural, then.”

“What’s the difference?”

He blew out a breath and shrugged, looking for the car. “I mean…there shouldn’t be a difference. I will things into existence all the time, after working out the recipe, as you call it. But if I’d known you were a natural, and not a witch with very little power, I would’ve told you to get those spells into your head. Learn the guidelines so you didn’t hurt yourself or someone else. Study, study, study.”

“But after you figured out I was a natural, you still didn’t say that.”

“By then we didn’t have time. You had to learn as quickly as possible, so there was no time for the standard approach. Maybe we got lucky in how it worked out.”

Emery stopped in the place they’d left the car. The red Toyota was still there, but the white sedan was missing. Instead of Reagan’s car, pushed back a little too close to the Toyota, there was a brown station wagon taking up what could’ve been two spots. “Wasn’t it here, or am I remembering incorrectly?”

Penny pointed at the Toyota before looking beyond and then behind her. “It was here. I remember getting out and seeing from this angle. So yeah, it definitely had to be here.”

He laughed. Didn’t do a thing to calm his growing anxiety, but it tickled him that she even had a unique way of remembering where a car was parked.

“Crap,” he said, his smile dropping away.

“Hondas go for a lot of money at chop shops,” Penny said. Her face fell as she eyed a Honda up the street, in better condition, and then another across the street. Her face fell. “Granted, they typically boost them in groups.”

“Do you know that from TV?”

“No. Veronica had a Honda once. It disappeared when all the others in the neighborhood did. The police said that’s what happens sometimes.” She pointed at the Toyota. Then a Mercedes up the street. “If you were going to steal a car, there are much better options.” After a pause, she said, “Let’s go. Now.”

“Good idea.” He grabbed her arm, silently keeping her at his pace. He should’ve remembered her speed. Soon she was yanking at him, wanting to go faster.

A backward glance didn’t tell him much. People ambled along the sidewalks and streets, ready to enjoy the night. No one looked their way, and certainly nobody stared. But then, anyone watching them wouldn’t want to be obvious about it. A glance every now and then would be enough.

Regardless, no one had randomly stolen Reagan’s broken-down car, which bore its fair share of bad paint and dents. They needed to get to shelter, now.

“What’s the situation with Darius?” he asked. “Do you trust what Reagan is telling you?”

“She’s a terrible liar, so yes. She didn’t need to say a word, though. We do not want to mess with the extreme elder staying with him. Trust me. Her and I don’t seem to play nice together. But Reagan seemed more worried about us staying in the bar. Maybe Darius’s house is safe?”

Emery licked his lips, glancing behind them again. Nothing had changed, and he didn’t see anyone he’d noticed on his first sweep, which meant very little. “Maybe. Or maybe getting us out of the bar was just a precaution. We could chance going back.”

She clenched her jaw and said something under her breath that sounded like “nuck fuggets.” “The car getting stolen right now is fiercely bad timing.”