“I’ve seen this before. The snakes aren’t real. We can touch them, and they can bite. But they’re not animals, they’re part of a spell. Unravel the spell, and they disappear.”
“Dark practitioners at work again,” Tanner growled, radiating more protective energy than usual as he stood beside Harper – probably because Knox had announced to him and Levi in the Bentley that he’d taken her as his mate. Neither sentinel had seemed all that surprised.
Harper turned to Knox. “You said this is a spell. What kind of spell? I mean, what is its purpose? To stop me from going inside?”
“The intention isn’t to keep you out of your apartment,” said Knox, ‘feeling’ the energy of the spell and ‘reading’ it. “There are more snakes inside. All poisonous and in an aggressive state. Their venom is preternatural, and it has one purpose.”
“What does it do?” asked Levi.
“Corrupts,” replied Knox. “Whatever they bite will decay, rot, and degenerate to ash.”
Harper gaped. “Are you saying that if their venom touches any of my stuff, it’ll basically crumble to nothing?”
“Yes. But their target is you.”
As if to prove it, another snake launched itself at her. Tanner caught that one and sharply folded it backwards, snapping its neck. Ooookay.
“Oh my God!” exclaimed a female voice behind them as Levi destroyed the last two snakes with small balls of hellfire.
Turning, Harper blinked. It was obviously a day for surprises. Knox and his sentinels all positioned themselves in front of her.
Knox asked suspiciously, “What are you doing here, Carla?”
The woman clasped her hands in front of her as she slowly walked forward, dancing her alarmed gaze from Knox to where the snakes once were. “I, um, I wanted to talk to Harper. Larkin wouldn’t tell me where she was – only that she wasn’t in the hotel. I thought she might have gone home.”
Knox narrowed his eyes. “Is that so?”
“Where did the snakes come from?”
“Now that’s a very good question.”
Carla stumbled before coming to an abrupt halt. “You suspect me?”
More interested in the little matter of a spell being put on her home, Harper asked Knox, “Can you unravel the spell?”
He shook his head. “Only another practitioner or an incantor can do that.” Incantors were demons that could use magick.
“I know a few incantors,” said Levi. “I can call one, have her come down here. She should be able to understand and untangle the threads of the spell.”
“You do that.” Knox curled an arm around Harper. “Come on, let’s go.”
As Tanner opened the rear door of the Bentley, Carla stepped forward. “Wait, Harper, I – I was hoping we could talk. Just for a minute. Please?”
Harper cocked her head. “Why? You want to make nice with me to be sure I don’t ask Knox to cast you out of the lair? Or are you panicking that I’ll blab about our sharing of DNA to your family?”
Carla’s shoulders slumped. She looked defeated and hurt. “I should have known there was no point in this. The imps have all turned you against me.”
Harper snorted. “Oh no, Carla, you did that all on your own.” Harper hopped into the Bentley, puffing out a long breath. What a fucking day.
Sliding close to her, Knox combed his fingers through her hair as the car began to move. “You okay?”
“No, I’m pissed. As if it’s not bad enough that someone wants me dead, I had a lot of sentimental stuff in my apartment from all the places I’ve been. It’s a good chance that most of it is ashes now. I’ll have to buy new furniture and—”
“No, you won’t. You’ll be living with me.”
Her eyebrows flew up. “Is that a fact?”
He curled his hand tight around her jaw. “If you think I’ll let my mate live apart from me, think again.”
“Such charm.” She ignored Tanner’s snicker.
Knox slid his hand from her jaw to her throat. “There’s no sense in us living apart.”
“Hm.”
“And you love the mansion.”
She forced a snort, even though it was totally true. “Where did you get that idea?”
“You relax when you’re there.”
That was also totally true. She felt safe there. Not only because it had top security measures, but because there was an unexpected restful atmosphere to the place that allowed a person to wind down. Meg’s merry nature and fantastic cooking probably helped with that, just like Dan’s innate positivity. Harper couldn’t help but soak it in. Still, she shrugged, trying to seem casual. “You have a nice bathroom.” A very decadent bathroom that contained a large, circular bath made of black granite that had Jacuzzi jets.
Knox went to speak again but stopped as Levi told him, Carla’s crying. I think she expects me to hug her.
Ignore the ‘poor me’ routine.
I am, but there is something she said that you might be interested in hearing. She claims that Kendra drove past her as Carla was making her way here. Now what would Kendra be doing down these parts?
Yes, what would Kendra be doing there? I’ll have Keenan bring her to me.
“Was that Levi? Is Carla being a pain in the ass for him?” Harper asked with a small smile.
Knox looked at her. “Yes, it was Levi.”