3. Ember

3

EMBER

“H ey, Ash. Bring your bag. We’ve got a problem.” I stomped back into the store, silently swearing to the gods before narrowing my eyes at Mayhem. “I told you not to try on the bracelet.”

“And I heeded your warning.” He crossed his arms. “If you remember, you told me to change into my normal clothes. Donal put the ouroboros on me when I reached for them.”

I clutched his forearm and rotated the bracelet on his wrist, making the snake shiver and chomp its tail harder. “I remember.”

“Then why are you angry with me?”

Well, let’s see. I’d almost died…had the life literally sucked out of me. He’d almost been vanquished because of it. Wasn’t I allowed to be a little snippy?

If I wanted to dig in deep—which I didn’t—I’d admit I wasn’t angry. I’d tell him the truth: that I was scared to death of my feelings for him and that losing him—which was inevitable—would crush me, so I shut down at every mention of our goddess-forsaken un happily ever after.

I couldn’t think about it, much less talk about it. Thankfully, Ash came in and got right to work, saving me from my thought spiral.

She set her bag on the counter and pulled out a bowl and six herb jars. “Did Donal tell you anything about the bracelet? I can mix the potion I use to neutralize the unsavory magical artifacts I find in the thrift shops, but I don’t know if it will work on Formorian magic.”

“He believed I was a witch when he put it on me,” Mayhem said.

She pursed her lips. “That’s not helpful.”

I drummed my fingers on the countertop and grinned. “We could save our vim and chop off his wrist instead. Got a knife?”

Mayhem rolled his eyes. “You are always a comedian, aren’t you?”

“I try.” Anything to deflect the thoughts, because he was right. It was beautiful, the way the colors of our fire blended. And our fire was deeply rooted in our souls, which meant our souls would blend beautifully if I gave them the chance.

Damn it. I was still thinking. I blamed the adrenaline still flooding my veins.

Ash mixed the herbs and poured six drops of lavender oil into the bowl. “The magic in the bracelet is strong enough to hold a demon prince. Neutralizing it won’t be easy.”

“Which is why we should just chop off his wrist.” I clamped my mouth shut. Really, Em? The man only wanted to love me, but every time he broke down a layer of my heart wall, I slapped another glob of mortar on it and added more bricks.

I couldn’t tell you what the hell was wrong with me, but it needed to stop. He only wanted to love me. My chest tightened and warmed at the thought. My stomach also looped, and a swarm of moths tried to take flight inside me, so there was that. I had hormones pinging off nerve cells and innards rising and sinking. I needed an hour in one of those sensory deprivation tanks to sort it all out.

“Sure,” Ash said. “Let’s chop off his wrist and have him bleed out before we make it to New York. Great plan.” She stirred the potion, and it smoked, the clean scents of lavender and mint adding to the sickly sweet smell in the air.

“I wonder what spell he cast to neutralize the stench of death.” I scanned the far wall, where the dozen-plus bodies sat chained. “Do you think they’re all witches, or would human energy work to reform the disgusting king?”

“It doesn’t matter what they were,” Mayhem said. “They’re dead now and not our concern.”

“I feel bad for their families.” I forced my gaze away. “They must be wondering where they are.”

“And we must focus on the task at hand.” He held up his magically shackled arm.

“He’s right, Em.” Ash shot a tiny flame into the potion, activating it. “A lot more people are going to die if we don’t get the amulet, and I seriously don’t want to be the one who kills them. Donal’s body count has nothing to do with us.”

Chaos stepped into the storefront. “Miles is tending to Shade in the van. He said we must hurry if he’s to have enough time to set up his equipment and hack into the auction house’s security system.”

“Potion’s ready.” Ash returned the bottles to her bag and poured a pink powder into her palm before holding her free hand toward her demon. “We need all the help we can get. Come share your power with us.”

He strode toward her and grasped her hand.

“I will share my power with you, Ember.” Mayhem held his hand toward me.

I crossed my arms. “You’re the one who’s trapped, dummy. If your magic could break the bind, don’t you think you’d have removed it by now?”

“Here. Take Chaos’s hand.” Ash poured half the powder into my palm, and I slipped my hand into his.

Mayhem’s eyes narrowed, his nostrils flaring as his gaze locked on his brother. Was that jealousy I detected in his expression? And did the moths just multiply in my stomach?

Chaos gave me no time to ponder it. A surge of dark magic passed through my skin, filling me with demonic power that felt so different from Mayhem’s. Chaos’s low vibration—and lack of the pinpricking sensation I’d grown accustomed to with Mayhem—made me shudder.

I didn’t like it. Not at all.

Ash sprinkled her half of the powdered potion onto the bracelet, and I did the same. Mayhem caught my gaze as I finished, the intensity in his eyes making me want to rip free from Chaos’s hold and throw myself into my demon’s arms.

Hecate have mercy; the emotion was strong.

“Ready?” Ash asked.

“Absolutely.” The sooner I could get this wrong demon magic out of my system, the better.

I inhaled deeply, focusing my intent on the ouroboros. “Neutralize, dissolve, dismiss. This magic bind no longer exists.”

We recited the incantation two times in unison, feeding off Chaos’s power and using him as a channel as we opened ourselves to each other. My sister’s high vibration mixed with her demon’s low, tempering the sickening feeling in my stomach.

The snake writhed on Mayhem’s wrist, eating more of its tail and growing tighter.

“It appears your spell is doing the opposite of what you intended,” he said.

“We aren’t finished.” I touched three fingers to the bracelet, and Ash did the same. “Neutralize, dissolve, dismiss. This magic bind no longer exists. As we will it, so mote it be.”

My head spun, and my stomach lurched, though I couldn’t tell if it was from the wrongness of Chaos’s power flowing through me or from the ouroboros fighting back. Another wave of demon magic crashed into me, and I squeezed my eyes shut, sending it down my arm and out my fingers, focusing everything I had on removing the damn bracelet.

“You’re hurting her, brother,” Mayhem said. “Release my witch.”

“I’m fine.” I strained, grinding my teeth until sharp pain shot from my jaw to my temple. I pushed one more surge of magic—mine, his, and Ash’s—into the bracelet.

The snake hissed. Then it screamed. Its mouth opened, and I yanked the tail from its throat, hurling the offending little bastard across the room. Chaos let me go, and I stumbled forward, catching myself on Mayhem’s chest.

My demon wrapped his arms around me, holding me as I sagged against him. I heaved in a breath, willing Chaos’s magic to dissipate, and Mayhem stroked my hair, pressing a kiss to my aching temple as he tucked a lock behind my ear.

“I have you,” he whispered. “You’re safe now.”

And goddess-dammit if I didn’t feel safe wrapped in his embrace. Safe, secure, wanted, loved. I inhaled his warm campfire and cinnamon scent and allowed myself a moment—just a fleeting moment—before I pulled away and tucked another lock of hair behind my other ear. “I’m fine. This was our last side quest.”

“Here’s hoping.” Ash handed me a cloth, and I wiped the remaining potion powder from my palm.

The building rumbled, the structure groaning against the weight of the roof. Ash looked at me wide-eyed before slinging her bag over her shoulder. “We need to go.”

“Hold on.” I scanned the room. The walls shimmered as if another layer of magic was dissolving around us. “How much glamour did Donal put on this place?”

“I’d rather not find out. Come on.” My sister strode to the door, and Chaos followed her outside.

The walls and ceiling wavered as the magic dissipated. What was left of the clothing and accessories remained intact, which was a good thing. I doubted the auction house would allow good ol’ Boyd “Big Oil” from Texas into the building if his clothes dissolved.

“We should leave.” Mayhem clutched my hand.

“I want to go shopping first.” I tugged from his grasp and grabbed a shirt and a pair of stretchy cargo pants from a rack. “Size six. Perfect.” I draped them over my arm along with the little black dress, and Mayhem arched a brow.

“He stole my life force. Comping an outfit or two is the least he can do.” I jerked my head toward the exit, and he followed me outside.

My eyes watered in the blinding afternoon sun, and I turned my back against it, facing the store. The outside shimmered, shuddering and groaning, the facade wavering like heat coming off a blacktop. Starting from the rooftop, the magic melted away like candle wax, sliding down and revealing a decrepit barn where the store once stood.

“Holy mother of magic.” I tilted my head, my brain refusing to accept the image my eyes clearly took in. “That’s the most impressive cloak I’ve ever seen.”

“The Formorians were known for their skill in deception.” Mayhem rested a hand against the small of my back. “It’s one of the reasons my kind worked with the fae to eradicate them. That and their mind-control power, which you witnessed today.”

“When we get to New York, we’ll make an anonymous call to the police about the bodies. Eff you, Formorian asshat.” I gave what was left of “George’s” store a one-fingered salute before turning on my heel and marching to the van.

Shade lay across Miles’s lap in the middle seat, and Chaos and Ash sat squished into the half-seat in the way back.

“Is he going to be okay, or do we need to find a hospital?” I climbed into the driver’s seat. The van was already running, the heater making it warm and toasty inside.

“I’ll be fine.” Shade struggled to sit up, but Miles rested a hand on his shoulder, gently holding him down.

“Ash used a salve she got from Patrice,” Miles said. “It’ll take an hour or so to finish, but he’s already healing.”

“Good. Everyone ready?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mayhem said in his fake Texas accent, and I suppressed a smile.

He gave new meaning to the expression save a horse, ride a cowboy . This demon was one cowboy I could ride all day long.