Spell Cat by Tara Lain Page 0,68
he will live that existence at my sufferance and without you. You will be a model husband and upstanding member of the community”—he pointed at Lavender—“with my daughter on your arm.”
The windows rattled like machine guns. Control? He didn’t give a shit about control. The bastard had Blaine.
Karonoff pointed at Jimmy and raised his voice. “As for you, I don’t care what happens. Cross me, and I will see to it that you and your family suffer far worse than you have to this day.”
Cross him? Cross him? Was the man deaf and blind? Did he not understand what was happening? Did he not see that the world could end in fire? Killian didn’t care. Time to understand who he’s dealing with. Flames licked at Killian’s eyes. The rumble of Al’s growl became a roar filling his ears. The chandelier swayed like a palm in a hurricane, and crystals crashed like cymbals. Power raced up his throat and out his mouth. “Stop!” The walls shook. He felt Aloysius’s claws digging into his shoulder as the great familiar screamed his anger, blue eyes flaming like hellfire. “Return him to me now!”
Karonoff’s eyes widened, but he shook his head. “Never.” The old witch raised a hand to cast. Killian hesitated. The particle of sanity he had left didn’t want to hurt Lavender by harming her father. Suddenly a blaze of light streaked past him, and the old man fell back against the wall behind him. Killian glanced and saw Jimmy staring at his own hand.
Lavender screamed, “Good job, Jimmy!”
Karonoff recovered instantly, his eyes narrowed. “How dare you, crossbreed!” White light hurled from his hand. Lavender threw up an energy block, and it fell, harmless.
“Daughter, you will pay for this.”
Killian glanced at the council members. His mother had inched her way to the back wall. The others seemed scattered, trying to decide which horse to back. Pay attention, you conniving assholes. Look what you created!
Karonoff raised a hand again, mumbling an incantation. The bastard had Blaine. What if he’d hurt him? Wind blew like a gale through the room.
Karonoff stared at Killian.
Blue fire leaped from Killian’s hands. Heat seared up his spine and reached for the sun. Who was he? He didn’t know. He didn’t care! Crash. Lightning pierced the window and struck the table in front of Karonoff, splitting it.
Killian’s hands blazed. The scream poured from his mouth. “I. Said. Stop!”
Karonoff turned white and his eyes bugged, but still he raised a hand to cast another spell.
“Meeeerrrwaoooowww.” Aloysius’s shriek shattered a window behind the council table. The council people jumped. Mimi huddled by Robert, and Shah seemed close to slipping under the part of the table still standing. Every hair stood straight out on the cat’s body, and his mouth gaped over gleaming fangs. The floor shook like an earthquake.
Light. Made of light. His body expanded until he filled the room. Killian walked toward the table. “Return Blaine to me now.” He flicked a finger, and lightning crashed outside the broken window. “Bring him here within three minutes. If you do not, I will kill one of you for every minute he is late. Do you understand?”
“How can you say such a thing to your mother?” Evangeline gasped and backed toward the door.
Robert spread his hands pleadingly. “We are innocent. Surely you would not harm us?”
Crash. Lightning hit the table, leaving a pillar of smoke and shattered wood. “None of you are innocent. You have been aiding him in the destruction of witchery for countless years.” He turned to the old Master. “I am counting!”
Karonoff sneered. “If you kill me, you will never find him!”
“Do you believe that, little man? I am the Witch Master. Bring him now, or you die first!”
Evangeline pulled at the door, only to find it locked. “Dear gods, Nicholas, do it now!”
The old Master stared. Ice filled Killian’s veins. He would do it. Whoever it was who stood here now would do it.
Ruthlessness must know itself, because Killian saw a switch click in Karonoff’s eyes, and suddenly they were filled with fear. He pulled out his phone, hit a button, and started talking.
“You have two minutes.”
“For gods’ sakes, hurry!” Mimi looked like she’d faint.
The old Master ended the call. “They can’t get here that fast.”
Killian walked up to the witch. “If they don’t, you die.”
Karonoff’s eyes widened as he was finally convinced. He clicked on the phone again, and his lips moved. Killian couldn’t hear the words over the rushing of the wind in his head.
A clock