“I need to speak to Sophie. It’s important.”
Mikey sounded really tired. He’d made it his mission to inspect every location Drake supposedly appeared. It was nice to have such a dedicated best friend. He knew how much I wanted to save Drake, so he did everything he could to find him before Carlos, the demon hunter, did. Carlos would do anything to stop the demon from killing more people. I wasn’t sure I could cope with that. I still loved Drake, and even though he betrayed me by keeping his marriage a secret, I missed him.
Ethan sighed loudly, irritated by the interruption. I was kind of relieved, though. The man was amazing in bed, and once I started, there was no stopping me. He was pure addiction.
Wrapping a robe around me and tying the sash, I walked out to the main living area. Mikey was tall and gorgeous with his red hair and green eyes. I especially liked that he had started growing a goatee. There was never anything serious between us, we’d been friends since childhood, but I could admire him. There was no denying that he was sexy as hell. Unfortunately, because he knew that, he took full advantage when it came to women.
Mikey scowled at me, then glanced at Ethan and shook his head. “Rabbits! That’s what the two of you are.”
Ethan laughed, leaving me and Mikey in the living room. I sat down on the edge of the couch, waiting silently. I was suddenly very tired, wishing I could lay down and take a nap.
Mikey sat on a chair across from me. “Sorry to interrupt, but we nearly trapped him. Unfortunately, Carlos was also there, so Drake ended up severely wounded.” He sighed. “I’m trying my best to get to him first, Sophie, but Carlos is determined to get there before I do.”
I frowned, not sure what to do. If I pulled Carlos off the hunt, that could mean more lives lost. There was no guarantee Mikey could capture Drake without problems. Ethan had difficulty binding his magic the first time. The second time, the demon completely avoided it. He was amazingly powerful, and I feared the demon hunter might be our only hope.
“I can’t pull Carlos back, Mikey. Drake has to be captured.” I swallowed. “Dead or alive.”
He rubbed a hand down his face. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
I quickly stood. “We have no choice!” My anxiety had started to reach levels in hadn’t in a long time. “I don’t want to do this. I don’t want Drake to die, but what is one life compared to many? I have to think of our people.” As I started to pace, Ethan entered the room again, a pair of sweatpants hanging on his hips.
“I thought you loved him. There has to be a way to save him. I refuse to believe Merlin is right and there’s no way to destroy this demon.” Mikey gave me a pleading look. “I hate Drake for the way he hid his marriage, I’ll probably never forgive him, but he was good to you. For that, I’ll always be grateful. Somewhere in there, I know Drake is trying to break out. He wants to come back to us.”
I sighed. My father, Merlin, had told me that the demon and Drake were one, meaning it would be hard to separate them. He explained that Drake was lucky to escape the first time, but the binding was stronger now.
When Drake was younger, he had become possessed by the same demon. It couldn’t completely keep him from breaking through to communicate with people, though. Once he was lucid enough, Drake went to a Witch, who helped him expel the demon, but not entirely and not without a price. In the process, she lost her powers and became blind. Fearful of being discovered, Drake killed her.
He did a lot of things through the years he said he regretted, but in light of recent events, I had to wonder if the monster still hid within him.
“Do you still have it, Mikey?” I asked, referring to a metal object Ethan had given him. It boosted his Witch powers in order to detain Drake.
Mikey pulled out an egg-shaped object with beautiful, intricate designs. I’d seen it in action, remembering its eerie, blue glow. There was one problem, though. Whoever held it could easily become addicted, using it for selfish reasons. Just being around it had my hands twitching, wanting to hold it. It made me anxious, as if I were a drug addict in search of her next fix. I didn’t know how Mikey could stay sane carrying it in his pocket.
As if noticing my expression, he nodded. “I can feel it’s power. It wants me to use it. I tried when I saw Drake escaping out the back of the warehouse, but I was too late. It was difficult to put it back into my pocket.” Mikey frowned. “This thing is hazardous, but I’m willing to use it if it helps get Drake back in one piece.”
“Just don’t let anyone else get a hold of it. In the wrong hands, it’s a dangerous weapon. The only reason I let you use it is because Sophie trusts you. That’s all that matters,” Ethan said, sitting by me. He took my hand in his and rubbed his thumb over the back of it.
We all startled at more pounding on the door. When I stood to answer it, Ethan strode in front of me, motioning me to stand back. This whole protective thing was really starting to wear thin, considering I didn’t like being told what to do. But as High Mistress, I needed to ensure my safety. Ethan had lectured me about it several times. He finally got me to realize that my leadership would help us advance the Witch/Vampire relationship. Of course, I had rolled my eyes at him. I didn’t see myself as someone with so much
