Buttercup (Spell Library #10) - Helen Scott Page 0,32

knew what she expected me to say, but I knew I would never turn Buttercup in, it didn't matter what she did, and I was fully aware that it made me a hypocrite. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Shani, but I couldn't let you keep murdering people, we were police for crying out loud. Buttercup is sweet and gentle and I'm lucky to have found her."

"Buttercup?" Shani snorted. "What the fuck kind of name is that? Who names their kid after a weed?"

Anger boiled inside me, an instant rage that I knew would overflow if I didn't get out of there. "Don't threaten my mate."

"What could I do from in here?" she demanded, actually sounding surprised.

"I don't know, but don't fucking do it. I'll go full guardian if you do." Sphinx's were guardians first and foremost, it was why we'd become police officers. I couldn't continue to be a guardian when I'd failed so horribly though, which was why the only thing I trusted myself to guard these days was people in prison cells. She knew if I went full guardian then no one would be able to get to Buttercup, but it might also make Buttercup hate me, as there would be no reasoning with me.

"It's serious then is it, Brother?" she asked, looking at me quizzically as she approached the door once more.

"She's my mate, Shani, it doesn't get more serious."

"Probably shouldn't leave her alone for too long. Never know what might happen." She was baiting me, I knew it, and she knew I knew it. Mates were off limits. I just hoped that she didn't think that only applied to sphinx mates.

"I love you, Sis," I said before turning and walking away. She didn't respond, and I hadn't expected her to either. I wasn't sure if the rift between us would ever be healed.

I'd done what my sphinx wanted me to do and now I felt all the shittier for it. By the time I made it off prison grounds my sphinx was practically clawing at my skin. I shifted and took to the air in a split second. Maybe, just maybe, Buttercup would go flying with me one day. It would be amazing so long as I could get her to trust me. No one would see us, I was confident of that, mainly because of the town wards, I mean, I'd been flying enough, but I knew a lot of supes that still couldn't give up those self-defense mechanisms. I just hoped my mate would trust me enough to be free with me.

12

Buttercup

My mind was still reeling as I opened up the store after Ausar left. It was mid-afternoon and I was surprised I hadn't heard anyone banging on the door or something, people got a little intense when it came to their sugary treats. I didn't blame them one bit either. If I set out to get a donut or a cupcake, it was going to happen no matter how far I had to go to find it. I just hoped that they didn't hear me with Ausar. That was a whole different kind of banging.

A throb of desire went through me at the thought of what had happened, followed quickly by the sense of dread that I needed to explain to Magnus and Casper and hope they were okay with it. I mean if all this mate stuff was for real then they didn't really have a choice, and neither did I for that matter, but I wasn't as bothered about it as they might be.

My stock for the day was limited since I hadn't been up early to bake, but I flipped the sign to open nonetheless and hoped I hadn't pissed off too many customers who came by only to find my shop closed.

I'd just walked back behind the counter when the bell above the door rang.

"Good afternoon, dear," Violet said as she walked in. Her long brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail and she was even wearing a little makeup. It was still taking me some time getting used to the fact that there were two Violets, and that the one I'd spoken with was actually young Violet, even though she didn't look like it at the time. It was complicated.

"Hi, Violet! What can I help you with?" I asked as I logged into the tablet I used for checking the customers out, and, well, pretty much everything else. It housed everything I needed, from the actual app