“Why don’t you tell me about this other stuff you set up.”
Jude explained the different ways to bind, but also how he’d have to put his own energy into it. Mack wished he had gotten a dog crate to put the cubs in when they ran back for more food. What Jude had planned didn’t seem like a great idea.
“So when you get exhausted, that’s it. The magic fails.”
“Yeah. So I don’t want to activate the net until close to dawn.”
“That’s a whole lot of puppy playtime.”
“Hungry puppy playtime.”
Mack watched as a cub dragged his socks away from the pile of clothes. The other cub joined in. The fabric tore before Mack could even yell stop. He ran over and snatched up his clothing, what was left of it, and his shoes, and dumped them on the bed of the truck. The cubs followed him, nipping at his heels.
He turned and growled at them, very aware that Mom was watching and acting as though she’d like to tear his throat out. Her lips drew back into a silent snarl. If she got free, it would be a fight to the death. She pressed up against the barrier but couldn’t cross it. It was only then Mack breathed a small sigh of relief.
Jude put a hand on his arm. “I’ve got this. Sit and eat.”
Mack sat on the edge of the bed eating the sandwiches and throwing bits to the cubs. “They are kind of cute in a fugly way.”
“Yeah, they won’t win any prizes for their looks.”
But they played like any puppy and squabbled over food. Darkness was the slightly bigger cub and the more aggressive one. Evil was more friendly, trying to lick his toes, not bite them.
“What’ll happen to them when the Coven shows up?”
“I don’t know. You aren’t worried about them, are you?”
“They haven’t killed anyone, they’re just babies.”
Jude grinned. “Aww. I didn’t think you were a dog person.”
Mack glared at him but didn’t answer. Generally, animals didn’t like him. They could smell that he wasn’t human. He swung his legs to stop Darkness from biting him then tossed another piece of ham into the night. The cubs chased after it. He was still hungry; he’d done more shifting in the past few days than he usually did. “Did you want a coffee? It’s going to be a long night.”
Jude nodded. “And a longer day.”
They sat with their cups and watched the cubs until they got bored and lay down near their mom, unable to cross the barrier to be with her.
When dawn came, they’d have to be ready to take on Mom if the magic failed, unless she retreated into the mine. When the Coven came, they might have to take them on. Mack wouldn’t let them steal Jude’s magic. Or Jude.
“I’m not going to petition the Coven for my freedom.” If he did, Jude would lose his magic, that and Mack had kind of grown used to the bond and what it meant. He trusted Jude not to misuse that magic.
“You have to.”
“Do I?” Did Jude want rid of him? “Do you want me to, really?”
Jude studied the cup in his hand. “No. I have never been more alive or more…anything than here. I came here resenting that I’d been sent. Expecting to hate every moment. But I don’t know if I want to leave.”
“Then don’t.” Mack put his hand on Jude’s leg. “I might even let you get a puppy. A real puppy, not a hellhound puppy.”
Jude leaned in and kissed him. “You really want a semi-competent electro-mage living in your house?”
“You’re the only witch I want.”
Chapter Fifteen
Jude sipped coffee that was barely lukewarm. His leg throbbed on the outside and burned on the inside. Blood had seeped through the make-do bandage, and there was still another hour until dawn. His leg needed medical attention, that much was clear. Though he had no idea how he’d explain the injury, and there was no way for him to leave to get it seen to.
Not getting killed by the aufhockers was not the same as success. Success was capturing the creatures and handing them over, and there was no way he was failing this close to the finish line. He wanted his magic, and he wanted Mack, and he wouldn’t let the Coven take that. That was all that kept him awake. That and the fear that if he slept the pepper circle would fall and Mom would eat him and Mack.
“Hey.” Mack nudged him.
“I’m awake. Just thinking about what might happen.” If he succeeded…what then? He’d come here expecting to fail. He wasn’t sure he wanted to travel if that meant leaving Mack. But he couldn’t sit around and keep house either.
“When the Coven sees how good you are at catching aufhockers, they’ll beg you to be a full-time investigator.”
“I don’t even know what that involves. I might have to travel all over the country.”
“Isn’t that what you wanted? To travel?”
“It was… It still is, but it’s not just me anymore, is it? What do you want?”
Mack glanced at the horizon. “Maybe you need to do this. I’m not going anywhere and I’ll always be able to find you.”
Jude buried his disappointment in a sip of the coffee. He’d been hoping Mack would tell him to stay.
Mack put his hand on Jude’s thigh. “If you don’t come back, I will hunt you down and drag you home,” he said with a grin.
“You want me to stay and go?”
“Something like that. I’m not used to living with someone…neither of us are used to this, and I think if the Coven wants you on their side, you should take that opportunity. It might keep you out of trouble.”
“Yeah.” That would be a good
