“I don’t think I can get past the deception that he wasn’t human the whole time.”
“Honey, he’s not human.” Asher closed his laptop. “He’s a familiar.”
“What is that?” I all but hissed. “Is it a title? Is it a species?”
“You need to ask him,” Ethan said.
“You guys really need to sit down and talk,” Isaac added. “Get the answers you’re looking for.”
I sighed and looked down at the table. “Any time we get in the same room we just end up fighting.”
“It works for you and Zeke,” Ethan chimed.
I smiled as Zeke snorted.
“We’re not that bad.” Zeke raised his head and pinned Ethan with a glare.
“They have been doing pretty well lately,” Miles admitted.
“Don’t jinx us,” Zeke and I said in unison. We shared a small smile.
Ethan exhaled hard and leaned his elbows onto the table. “Well, I was going to call a meeting, but my shit seems trivial now.”
“What shit?” Isaac asked as he closed his laptop.
“I was jumped last night outside Vegabond,” Ethan announced.
My heart dropped. “Are you okay?” I scanned his face and didn’t find a mark.
“Who the hell jumped you?” Zeke sat up straighter, his jaw clenched.
“Why the hell didn’t you say anything last night?” Isaac snapped.
“Yeah, I’m okay. I had a few bruises but by the time I got home they were gone,” Ethan said. “I didn’t say anything because I was fine.”
“You still should have told me,” Isaac snapped. I reached over and took Isaac’s hand.
“I didn’t get a good look at the guys.” Ethan held his hands out palms up. “We were putting the instruments into the back of Ollie’s van when they just showed up. Once some guy outside the bar jumped in to help me out they bolted.”
“You think they were trying to rob you?” Miles asked.
Ethan shook his head. “They kept trying to put me into holds but I was too fast for them.”
“If they were trying to put you in a hold, they wanted to take you somewhere.” Isaac’s fingers tightened on mine.
“Could Jadis have been behind this?” Miles pushed his glasses up his nose.
Everyone exchanged looks as we all considered the possibility.
“She did abduct him once before, why not a second time?” Asher shifted in his seat.
“I’ll talk to the committee about it tonight. See what Uma thinks.” I slid my hand from Isaac’s. “Maybe it really was random.”
Ethan shrugged.
“I’m just glad you’re okay.” I gave him a smile.
He grinned back. “I am. But they aren’t. I’m pretty sure I broke at least a few of their bones.”
“Good,” Zeke muttered.
Miles got to his feet. “If that’s everything, I’ve got to get back to work.”
“Miles, take the night off.” I knew it was pointless, but I gave it a shot anyway.
“There’s too much to do,” he said before he disappeared out the doorway.
“And there’s another thing,” I muttered. “Miles.”
“Yeah, I’ve never seen him this bad before.” Asher said. “Something is eating at him.”
“Something besides his dad dying?” Ethan asked.
Zeke was still watching the door when he answered. “I think so.”
“Did he tell anyone how he died?” I asked.
Everyone answered with a no.
I shook my head. “What did the paper say?”
“Heart attack,” Ethan answered.
“At least we know what didn’t kill him,” Zeke muttered before he opened his laptop.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked my text messages.
Unknown: Lexie, answer the phone. It’s Mom.
Oh, hell no. I deleted the message and tucked the phone back into my pocket. There was no way in hell that I was going to text her back. What the hell could she want anyway?
What could she have to say that she hadn’t said before? Nothing, right? I slumped a little in my chair. The sad part was that a teeny, tiny piece of me wanted to know. To hear her voice. To hear her say that everything would be okay.
No. That way led to pain.
I sat up straighter in my chair. I was just going to ignore her until she stopped texting. I sat with a heavy heart as the conversation turned lighter around me.
An hour later.
“Where is she?” Uma sighed. The stunning head of our witches leaned back in her chair gracefully.
“She’s usually on time.” Brody, the head of the local shapeshifters, paced in the study at Miles’ house. The walls were lined with built-in bookcases, a small fireplace with a marble mantle the only break in the rows of shelves. It was kinda peaceful. Well, when I wasn’t in a committee meeting.
With so many shifters and witches around, problems