The man glanced at his companions. He’d been thinking about doing just that. “Jude has a history of being reckless. It would be better if he was no longer a witch.”
“You’re far too keen to strip my magic, Landstrom.” Jude spat the words. “I thought at first it was because you hated me…but I wonder if it’s more about my magic.”
Mack glanced at Jude, not sure what he meant. The two women glanced at Landstrom who looked ready to let loose with more bluff and bluster.
Mack got in first. “The words you witches are searching for are ‘Thank you, Jude, for stopping the aufhocker from terrorizing Mercy and revealing the existence of the paranormal to the good folks who live there’.” Mack smiled, but it was as feral as he felt. They were one wrong sentence away from staring down an angry bear. He didn’t care how tired he was, these people didn’t get to make executive decisions about his life, or Jude’s.
“You’re welcome,” Jude said as though the Coven had already thanked him.
“We need to examine how this investigation was run and get statements from you both,” the oily magic woman said.
“Creating a familiar bond is very serious. Not something to be taken or considered lightly,” the dark-haired woman said to Mack.
“This has clearly been taxing, on you both,” the other woman said.
Mack didn’t think for a moment that she cared as much as her slick tone implied.
“If you wait too long, you won’t be able to change your mind. The bond will be too hard to break,” the man said as though he were concerned. Though he was probably more worried about Jude having a familiar and access to more power.
After everything that had happened over the last few days, Mack was sure it had already reached that stage.
Jude swayed. He was still containing Mommy aufhocker.
“Don’t faint. We have an aufhocker at our backs,” he muttered. Then louder for the other witches, “One of you might want to take over the containment before Jude runs out of energy.”
That got their attention. The dark-haired woman walked over and stood on the other side of Jude, helping to support him, leaving the man and the other woman to sort out the net.
“Give us a few minutes to figure out what we’re going to do.” The man seemed to resent helping.
“You may not have a few minutes, Landstrom. I told you we should’ve come straight here,” the dark-haired woman said.
“I didn’t know you cared, Holling,” Jude said with a smile, but there was no light or laughter behind it. His eyes were dull and his skin ashen.
If Jude died, Mack would make sure these witches knew exactly how angry a bear could get before he died.
Mack looked at Holling. “You’d better be able to help him.”
“I’ll do my best, but no hospital will be able to treat that bite.”
“Break the bond. I don’t want Mack to die,” Jude murmured to the woman.
Mack glanced at the woman as they got Jude into the car. Was it that bad? Mack didn’t want to die, but he didn’t want to lose Jude either.
“You’re not going to die.” But Mack wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince.
Mack went to get into the car, but the woman put her hand on him. “You can’t come.”
“Why not?”
“Because there are things we must sort out. You need time to figure out if you want to be bound to a witch. Most shifters don’t. Many would shun you. And once healed, Mr. Sullivan has Coven business to attend.”
“I know that this was a test, and that you offered him a job.” What else was being hidden from him?
“Let me sort this Coven business out, Mack. I’ll call you.” Jude’s words were soft. He was lying on the back seat with his eyes closed.
“You won’t break the bond without me knowing?” Mack glared at the woman. “Or strip his magic?”
The woman hesitated. “No. You will be called to attend if things get that far.” She leaned in closer. “If we’d known it was an aufhocker—”
“Two plus cubs.”
“This wouldn’t have been the test.”
“Why test him at all?”
“Because we needed to know if he could act as an investigator. We need an electro-mage.”
“But you wanted to take his magic.”
She stared at him, and Mack was forced to look away first. There was something about her stare that was just as unnerving as Jude’s. “Witches’ business.”
Not Coven, the Coven included all paranormals.
Mack wasn’t sure he trusted her. They could stand here and argue all day about familiars and what was right, and what might happen, but that wouldn’t help Jude now. He needed to get the bite treated. Then they could worry about the future. Mack took a step back. “Fix him.”
She nodded and got into the car.
He changed his mind as it pulled away, and took three steps after it, but it didn’t stop. And he didn’t know if he’d ever see Jude again.
Chapter Sixteen
Jude paced in the reception area. Once again, he’d been summoned to face the board. They’d given him three days of rest since getting out of hospital—where he hadn’t been left alone for even a second. Did the Coven think he’d fry another hospital? He hadn’t. He’d been a model patient and had acted completely human.
The stitches in his leg itched, but at least the wound no longer bled. He didn’t remember what Holling had told the doctors, but he knew he’d asked for Mack, only to be told that he wasn’t allowed to speak to him until after he’d see the board.
He took that warning seriously and didn’t call him, because he didn’t want another strike against his name.
But the need to see Mack or at least hear his voice grated beneath his skin. He was too far away. The city was closing in around him, but he couldn’t skip town or leave the country even though his passport had finally arrived. He was
