“No, I shouldn’t have. This stays between us, Mario. Please.”
He searched my face for a moment and then bowed his head. “As long as it does not become an issue.”
‘Abigail…’
There was Samuel’s voice again with a brush of power. I swallowed and continued to the kitchen. Mario said nothing, so I assumed that he couldn’t feel the power.
‘Come to me, Abigail…’
There was a strange pull in my body that made me stop in my tracks. Oh, hell no.
“Abby?”
I didn’t answer Mario as I called on my magic to try and push Samuel away.
“Abby!” Liz ran out of the kitchen. “We have to go now. The girl disappeared.”
That jerked me out of my focus. “What?”
“The little girl, she disappeared. Come on.” She was already heading to the front door. I followed her and automatically started putting my boots on.
“Do we know where she is?”
“Yes, Mason put a tracker on her at my request.” She grabbed her jacket and then tossed me mine.
“Abigail, you aren’t supposed to leave the mansion tonight.” Mario appeared in front of the door. “You shouldn’t be out with his bite still fresh.”
I glared at Mario. “We’re talking about a little girl, Mario. Come with us if you’re that worried.”
Mario looked over my head, and I turned expected to see Levi, but it was Oliver.
“Let her go Mario, go with her, stay vigilant. Remember that pain grounds her.”
What the hell kind of advice was that? I shook my head and threw my coat on.
“Hummer keys?” I asked Mario.
He shook his head. “Levi has them.”
Liz grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the door. “I’ll drive.”
I wondered for a moment why we weren’t going to pop in and out. Liz threw a look over her shoulder. “Get in the car Mario.”
Ah, I had a feeling she was hiding that ability again. Mario followed us with a look of exasperation on his face.
I got into the passenger seat of the car. “I didn’t get any coffee.”
“I’ll pick some up for you on the way,” Liz promised. “Tylenol is in the glove compartment.”
I leaned forward to grab the Tylenol.
“And food,” Mario added.
I glanced at him. “What?”
“You need to eat too.”
Liz chuckled. “He has a point. We’ll hit food up too on the way. Mason’s going to meet us there and scout the area out.”
I didn’t like that Liz agreed with Mario, but it didn’t matter at this point. I wasn’t driving.
‘Abigail…come to me, my dear…’ Samuel’s voice floated through my mind again.
I called on my magic just enough to push his power away.
“I can feel that, Abby,” Liz muttered. “Don’t be losing control on me.”
“I’m not. It’s perfectly under control.” I wrapped my hand around my necklace.
She didn’t push, but I didn’t miss Mario pulling out his phone and sending someone a text. “Where was Levi tonight?”
“With the rest of the council,” Mario stated. “I’m sending him a quick update on where we are going. I would expect a lecture when we get back.” There was a smirk on his face.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.” I leaned back in the seat, keeping my magic active as I could still feel Samuel’s power clinging to me.
I pulled out my phone and texted Oliver and Merick. ‘The cleansing spell has to happen tonight.’
It wasn’t long before I got a response of ‘what’s wrong’ from Merick.
‘I can feel his power, I don’t like it.’ It was a little bit of an understatement, but I didn’t want Merick or Oliver to just suddenly pop into the car.
My phone was silent after that, and I focused on the trees passing by. Soon they changed to houses as we moved into the city.
After quick stops for coffee and food, we were on our way to Mason’s location. To my surprise, we were in my neighborhood, and I looked at Liz. “You’re kidding me.”
“Same address the tracking spell led us to.” She nodded.
“I wasn’t expecting to face her tonight.”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t think we’ll be facing her tonight. Let’s see what Mason has to say first. We’re going to meet him at your house since it’s close.”
And it wouldn’t be as suspicious as two cars sitting outside a random house out here. “That’s fine. I want to pick up some things anyways.”
Liz nodded and drove to my house.
I narrowed my eyes as we approached my property. I recognized the truck sitting nearby. “Nick.”
“Why is he parked all the way out here?” Mario asked.
“Because that’s where the protective circle starts.” Liz tightened her grip on the wheel. “And he can’t cross it.”
I nodded. “Not the first time he’s been out here and he couldn’t get past the magic.”
Liz didn’t bother slowing down. She just drove right past him and up my driveway. She parked, and we all walked into the house without even looking back. Mario closed the door behind me. “Are we not going to talk about the fact that Nick’s sitting out there and can’t get into the yard?”
I shook my head. “Nope. He can sit there. If he means me harm, his ass can stay as far away from me as I can keep him.”
“I should just kill him,” Mario mused. “Or send one of the assassins after him.”
I shook my head. “No, not until we know why he came out of hiding.”
“Ah, Princess, always thinking ahead. Find out why, find out his allies, then kill him.”
I rolled my eyes and went to the living room. “He’s not the biggest threat out there right now.”
‘Abigail…’
There he was again, now just at the edge of my mind instead of the forefront. My magic around the house seemed to drown
