Magic Misled (Lizzie Grace #7) - Keri Arthur Page 0,50

out, feeling utterly as one with the man.

When my breathing and pulse settled to more normal levels, I lifted my face to kiss him and then slid to one side. He wrapped me in his arms, drawing me closer, and kissed my forehead.

“Sweetheart,” he said softly. “Feel free to take control any damn time you want.”

I laughed softly. “Prepare to be reminded of that—and not just when it comes to sex.”

“You don’t scare me, witch.”

“One day I will,” I murmured, even as my eyes closed. I was fast asleep within seconds.

As predicted, the weather did improve the next day, and the café had a steady flow of customers. Monty came in for his usual coffee and cake midafternoon and didn’t seem surprised Belle wasn’t there. That undoubtedly meant the two of them had spent time chatting on the phone either last night or this morning. I made myself a pot of tea, then sat down opposite him and updated him on supernatural possibilities I’d found.

“I don’t suppose there was a suggestion on how to locate it?”

I smiled and poured my tea. “When have things ever been that easy?”

“I keep hoping that we’ll catch a break one day.”

“None of us are dead yet—that’s probably as much of a break as we’re going to get.”

“And long may it remain that way.” He clinked his mug against mine. “I was talking to Ashworth earlier—he said it might be worth laying a trap for this thing.”

I frowned. “Aiden won’t approve using John as bait.”

“He doesn’t have to. We can lay a scent trail using his clothes into a prepared trap.”

“That’s presuming we are dealing with either a rogue werewolf or a wolf twisted by dark magic. We may not be.”

“But if we are, then it’s a possibility.”

“Have you mentioned it to Aiden?”

“Haven’t seen him, so no.”

I took a drink and leaned back in my chair. “Are you picking Belle up for the party tomorrow night?”

He nodded. “It’s our first official date.”

I grinned. “Is she aware of this fact? You were both invited separately, rather than as a couple.”

“I asked if she’d like to come with me. She accepted. It is therefore a date in my books, and I will not be convinced otherwise.”

“Wouldn’t dream of spoiling your delusions, Cuz.”

“And I appreciate that fact.”

“So, what happened to all the grand plans you had for the momentous first date event?”

“They can wait until her mom has gone home. Although her mom has been rather helpful when it comes to the whole date thing.” He finished his coffee, then pushed to his feet. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, if nothing else happens in between.”

“All things crossed it doesn’t.”

“Amen to that.”

He left. I finished my tea, then collected the plates and cups and got back to work. Once the café had closed for the day, I spent a couple of hours doing prep, then cleaned up and turned out the lights. But as I picked up my purse, an odd scraping caught my attention.

It didn't repeat, but my trouble radar was now stirring. I shoved my keys in my pocket and carefully moved back into the café. While the pink fingers of sunset still tainted the sky outside, the café lay wrapped in shadows. There was no one in the room—the little bell above the door would have chimed had someone tried to enter—and no sign of anyone lurking beyond the windows, either at the front or in the laneway that ran along the side of the building.

I glanced up the stairs. The glow of the streetlights outside meant the darkness was not absolute. It also meant that if anyone was moving around up there, I should at least see their shadow. There was nothing.

And yet …

I frowned and cautiously headed up. Magic stirred around my fingertips, the spell an odd mix of repelling and tracking magics. Perhaps my subconscious was a little more certain of trouble than it seemed. A tread creaked under my weight, and I froze, my heart beating somewhere in my throat, momentarily constricting my breathing.

There was no response.

I swallowed heavily, half wondering if the sound I’d heard was nothing more than the creak of an old place, then almost instantly dismissed it. While both the café and the upstairs apartment did have a chorus of nightly sounds as the building settled for the night, the noise I’d heard hadn’t been one of them.

I walked on, only to pause again at a soft rattling. It was coming from the balcony area—or rather, from the