lurking in the shadows. But the only things I see are the stacked-up boxes of the booth nearby.
We’re still surrounded by a crowd of curious people. There’s no chance in hell our little performance won’t reach my mother’s ears and the rest of the cronies in the council. I have no clue how I’m going to explain almost fucking Saxon’s brains out in the middle of the Nightshade Market to everyone, but that problem will have to wait.
“Where was Jacques the last time you saw him?” I ask.
“Right at the front of the market. By now, who knows?” Lucca replies.
Someone pushes through the crowd, creating a commotion. It’s the scrawny vendor who went ballistic when Saxon compelled the witch to sell us siren’s tears. He’s not alone. Two members of the Warlocks of Ivern Guild are standing next to him. I recognize them instantly by the dark power emanating from their tall frames. They’re the most ruthless magic users in the community, feared by pretty much everyone. I didn’t know they were in Salem, much less that they were working as security in the Nightshade Market.
“Those are the bloodsuckers who broke the sacred rules of Nightshade Market.” The old man points a shaky finger in our direction.
“Sacred rules? It was just a little bit of compulsion,” Saxon retorts. “No one got hurt.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. He had to open his big mouth. Am I the only one who senses the danger emanating from those warlocks? I reach for Saxon’s hand to draw his attention. The crackling when we touch happens again, but with much less intensity. “Sax, don’t say another word,” I whisper.
He turns to me with a frown, no doubt ready to argue.
“You’re all coming with us,” one of the warlocks says in a baritone voice that leaves no room for argument. This is not a request. It’s an order, and we’d better obey or the consequences will be dire.
Lucca takes a step forward, hissing. “Who the fuck are you to tell us what to do?”
Am I surprised Lucca and Saxon don’t know who we are dealing with? Not really. The warlocks very rarely mingle with vampires. They have other, more pressing issues to occupy their time, like keeping demons from taking over the world. Which begs the question. Why are they in Salem?
I step in front of Lucca while giving Vivienne a meaningful glance, hoping she will understand my message that she needs to control her guy. Those warlocks can wreak some serious damage, and they don’t care if Lucca is royalty or not.
“We didn’t mean to break any rules,” I say. “I’m sorry my friend used compulsion on your customer, sir.” I look at the vendor. “It was an emergency.”
“Some High Witch you will be one day. You’re supposed to be an example to the community.”
I wince, feeling his criticism deep in my soul. He’s not wrong.
“Hey, don’t talk to Aurora like that,” Saxon replies angrily. “You know nothing about her.”
I wish he would stop speaking, but damn, it feels good to hear him defending me. But I can’t allow my mushy feelings to interfere now. I have to save our asses.
“We’ll come with you,” I tell the warlocks.
“What?” Saxon exclaims. “Are you crazy?”
Leaning closer, I whisper, “I know what I’m doing. Trust me.”
“At least now we don’t have to worry about Jacques anymore,” Rikkon adds with a shrug.
I can tell his comment is not well received by Lucca and Saxon given the glowers they’re sporting now. And things become even tenser when the second warlock points two glowing fingers in our direction and whispers words in a foreign language. I reach for Saxon again, hooking my arm with his to keep him in place. A bright green light surrounds our group and it feels like my entire body is disintegrating. I’m caught by a nauseating sensation of vertigo that mercifully only lasts a few seconds. When I recover the full awareness of my body, we’re no longer in the market, but in a place I know all too well. Fuck. The warlocks brought us to the Council of Witches headquarters, and standing before us is my mother, looking positively pissed off.
Her furious stare switches from me to Saxon, and it’s only then I realize I’m still clutching him. I step away from his side, glad that thanks to the potion, I’m no longer lusting for him like a dog in heat.
“Son of a bitch. What the hell was that?” Saxon presses the heel of his hand