Chapter 30

30

Just to be safe, we tied Silver up, unsure if when he woke, he would still be bespelled. Grant carried him back to the restaurant, where my sisters had been healed enough to wake and tell us what had happened.

As I had expected, they’d gotten injured fighting Silver, trying not to truly hurt their adopted father.

Neither remembered seeing Roman, but he had obviously been at the bar to be able to put the spell on Silver.

“That means he’s in the city,” I said, “which means we can track him down and kill him.”

“It’s not that simple, Kass,” Theo said with a sigh. “He’s extremely powerful. I don’t know if I’ll be able to defeat him even with my powers.”

Zara said, “If we combine our powers, devise a plan, we should be able to take him down.”

Zyra nodded. “With enough force, any skull will crack.”

Leave it to my troll warrior sister to say something so simplistic, but valid.

While it seemed possible to come up with a plan that utilized all our abilities, Theo’s fear of him made me worried, even with so many of us.

Silver woke with a groan. He looked down and asked, “Why am I tied up?” He looked around and asked, “Is this another surprise party?”

Remembering the time we had tried to throw him a party that had caused him to lash out in shock at our yelled “surprise” made me smile.

“You don’t remember me kicking your ass?” I asked with a wide, innocent smile.

“So, that wasn’t a dream?” he sighed and looked at the troll sisters. “Are you okay?”

Zyra smiled. “Thankfully, you’re slower in your old age.”

He snarled, but then sighed and shook his head. “I failed to protect my daughters. I am sorry.”

I patted his shoulder. “It’s alright, Pops! I had fun fighting you.” Bending down, I untied him. “We tied you up in case you were still under the spell’s influence.”

“Smart move,” he said with a nod. Once he was freed, he took turns hugging me, Zyra, and Zara. “I’m proud of you three. Even if I am slower in my old age, you did well against me.” He looked at me. “It’s worrying that you’re so susceptible to headbutts. You need to remember that.”

I waved his words away. “I’m fine. It barely hurt.”

He scoffed, but didn’t say more.

“Perhaps it’s time to involve the hunters,” I said as I turned back to Theo. “I have the contact info for that one hunter who gave me his business card when Bastian was here.”

Theo scowled and clenched her fists.

“I know you hate them, but this is out of our control at this point,” Jong-min said. “What if they get Kass? You have a soft spot for her that will likely cause you to get injured just as Zara and Zyra got injured fighting Silver.”

Theo rubbed her temples. “Fine. Fine. Call him, Kass.”

I pulled out my phone and stepped out of the restaurant’s front door. A second later, Jong-hyun joined me.

“I don’t want you alone,” he explained. “We don’t know where he is right now and I’d rather not have to fight you.”

I smiled and asked, “Afraid I might bite an arm off?”

He nodded, completely serious. “Yes, actually.”

Chuckling, I dialed the hunter’s number and waited for him to answer.

“Who is this?” he answered.

“This is Kass, the shark shifter you gave your card to when Bastian was here. We have a problem.”

There was a shuffling sound and I could hear a door close before he asked, “What kind of problem?”

I filled him in on what I knew and at the end, he said, “We’ve been searching for Roman for years. You’re telling me that he is here, in our city, at this very moment?”

“Yep,” I replied. “He is bespelling people to try to kill Theo’s friends. Can you help us?”

“Let me call my superiors and I’ll call you back. Whatever you do, do not engage with Roman. Theo is correct, he is incredibly powerful.”

“Well, if he shows up here, I don’t know that we can do much except fight, so you better make that a quick call.”

He grumbled something that sounded like, “pushy shark,” but I couldn’t be certain since he hung up immediately afterwards.

We walked back inside and locked the door behind us, just in case.

“What did he say?” Theo asked.

“He’s calling his superiors and he’ll call me back.” Sitting down at the table beside her, I patted her hand. “Don’t worry, we’re not going to let you face him alone.”

“That’s sort of what I’m worried about,” she said. “I don’t think I can fight him with all of you here.”

“Aw, you’re worried about me? That’s so sweet,” I teased and kissed her cheek.

She pushed my face away, but I saw her smile for a brief second, which meant … goal achieved!

Her phone rang and she walked away to answer it. After a few minutes she said, “My, um, boyfriends are on their way here. I figured it’s better to gather everyone here to better protect you all.”

“So, you did go with the multiple partner option. Good for you!” I said and gave her a thumbs up.

Her cheeks reddened and she flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned her face to try to hide it. “Shut up.” She sat down beside me again with her arms crossed over her chest.

“How many are you going to end with? Four? Seventeen? Knowing you and how extra, I mean, awesome you are, you’ll end up with like two dozen.”

She smacked my arm. “Brat.”

Resting my head on her shoulder, I smiled up at her. “I’m happy you’ve found people. Honestly, I was starting to get worried you’d be alone forever and you are too awesome to be alone forever.”

“I was getting worried too,” she muttered. “I thought with how much more accepting the world is with transgender people now that I wouldn’t have as many issues, but …” She sighed loudly. “It still is an issue for a lot of people. I dated a few, but when they realized I was trans … let’s just say one particular break up almost became a physical fight.”

“Who?” I demanded. “Who dared to try to fight you? I’ll tear their arms off.”

She draped her arm around my shoulders and squeezed. “They’re not worth your time, Kass. Besides, I may or may not have cursed him, so there’s no need for you to tear his arm off.”

Theo loved cursing people, though she normally only did it for a short period of time. Just long enough to get her point across to them that they shouldn’t mess with a witch.

My phone rang at the same time that someone knocked on the door.

The guys all approached the door cautiously.

“Hello?” I answered.

“It’s my guys,” Theo said as she approached the door.

“Where are you currently?” the hunter asked.

“My pack’s restaurant. It used to be my parent’s restaurant.”

“Yes, I know which it is. Stay there. We are on our way.”

“Understood,” I said.

Jong-min, Jong-hyun, Grant, and Reed stepped back at Theo’s declaration, but kept focused on the doors still.

Theo pulled open the door, a smile on her face.

As the door opened, a huge explosion sent us all flying backwards.