holding it still for a while before dropping it and turning to Theodore, “Let those fools get it out of their system. I have spelled every living creature in a thousand mile radius; we’re the only ones awake to watch this … travesty.”
With a snort, he returned to his seat and lit a cigar. Cade and Theodore exchanged surprised glances. Then Cade grated, “Surely, you’re not going to just sit here smoking while they tear themselves, and the rescue, to shreds.”
Joshua sighed and put out his cigarette, “What would you have me do, Cade?”
“Stop them,” Theodore said.
Joshua responded, “Let’s discus why we’re here. They’ll join us when they’re done.”
Theodore gave a tight nod.
“Do you know a Roy Davison?” Joshua began.
“Oh boy. Here we go. What’s that loser gone and done this time?” Theodore demanded wearily.
Cade placed a commiserating hand on his shoulder, “He’s trying very hard to take Exotic Rescue away from you. He’s citing the presence of mineral resources on the land and he’s also saying those mineral resources are harmful to the residents of Angel Springs.”
The door burst open just then, and Darryl and Michael rushed into the room. Joshua flicked a surprised look their way, and Theodore correctly interpreted the expression. “Your calming spell doesn’t work on them. They are immune to most spells, as am I.”
Cade whistled, “That would be something, wouldn’t it? Joshua’s new bride is a witch. I’m always afraid to put a toe out of line in case she hexes me,” he joked.
Joshua studied Theodore and his brothers with interest, “You would have to share your secret with me. I imagine it would drive Klyana mad to know I’m immune to her, er … skills,” he finished with a chuckle.
“Why are you just sitting here, Theodore? Connor is tearing some dragon to shreds down there,” Michael blurted.
Cade raised an eyebrow, “I hardly doubt Drake is being ‘torn to shreds’; he can more than hold his own.”
Darryl stared at the three men as though they were from Mars. “You knew they were fighting and you’re taking a load off?”
“Exotic Rescue is being attacked secretly,” Theodore announced.
Stunned silence followed. He easily read the question in their eyes and clarified, “Roy Davison is behind it.”
“That fucking piece of shit,” Jonathan spat from the doorway. Everyone turned and saw him supporting a bleeding Connor while Justin stood with an equally bleeding Drake leaning against him. Both men had black eyes, torn lips and more than a few slashes all over their bodies.
Connor straightened away from Jonathan and growled as he tightened his hands into fists, “Roy, huh? In that case, he’s a fucking bastard and deserves every single thing that’s coming to him.”
Drake scoffed, “A little girl could give you a sound thrashing. What are you gonna do?”
Fire leapt into Connor’s eyes, but before he could respond, Theodore interrupted in a chilly tone that anyone close to him knew meant anger and danger. “If any of you so much as moves a muscle without permission in the next fifteen minutes, I’m going to personally pummel your sorry ass into the ground.”
Connor shifted on his feet and Drake silently let Justin carry him over to the sofa.
Joshua had a new glint of respect in his eyes as he looked at Theodore, but all he said was, “You have a problem on your hands, son. I suggest you deal with it.”
“I fully intend to,” Theodore assured Joshua in a silky tone that betrayed no emotion whatsoever and was all the more chilling for it.
“A good start would be herding your exchange staff back to wherever they came from. I mean, how do you know they aren’t moles or something?” Drake said.
Connor’s eyes gleamed as he offered a cocky grin tinged with a bit of pain, “Fancy that. We actually agree on something. Hell must be dripping with icicles.”
Drake glared at him before continuing unperturbed, “We took the liberty of studying their profiles, and we have at least five persons of interest among them.”
Theodore gave him a dark look, “How did you get your hands on all their names, never mind their profiles. Have we been hacked?”
“We have our ways,” Drake countered.
Theodore’s gaze flicked between Drake, Cade, and Joshua. Then, he sat up, “You didn’t, by any chance, get the witches in your family to spell and spy on us, did you?”
Cade gave him a dark frown, “Seriously?”
Theodore subsided in his seat, admitting to himself that it did seem like something of a stretch.
Justin leaned forward as he made his