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As the two women argue, Dalia gives me an assessing look. I stand tall and don’t waver under her stare, until Kaleb steps between us protectively. Dalia’s smile is full of amusement as she flashes a hint of her fangs. “What do you believe is an appropriate punishment for those who are responsible for sentencing my grandson to a slow death?”
I flinch and then shake my head. “He’s not going to die.”
“Only because we intervened,” Dalia interjects coolly, raising a single brow. “So I ask again, what do you think is an appropriate punishment?”
At first, I think she’s asking us, but it’s my nan who responds. “What would appease you?”
“Their lives,” she answers, her icy gaze menacing as she looks up at the front door.
“You know that’s not possible,” Mildred counters, shifting the large grimoire to her other hip. “Even if the council was involved, a life can’t be forfeited for the slight of another.”
“A slight?” Dalia hisses through her clenched teeth. “You call what has transgressed against my grandson a slight? Would you say the same if it was your granddaughter?”
“Poor choice of words,” Mildred apologizes with a slight bow of her head. “I merely meant that only a life taken can be answered with a life given. Nolan will live. We will make sure of it.”
Dalia’s lips purse as she considers her next words. “If I can’t have their lives, then I want what they value most.”
Carlotta, seemingly done with waiting, starts marching up the stairs. “Let’s go find out what that is.”
As my nan and Dalia follow Carlotta up the stairs, Kaleb holds back, and under his breath, he asks, “Not that I mind being here, but is there a reason you asked me to join you for this?”
“I need you to act as my anchor,” I answer with a tight smile. “Last time I… healed Gina, it was difficult to come back to myself.”
That’s the understatement of the century. Connor may have been the one to bring me back last time, but Kaleb is the far better choice for today. He’s done it before, and he doesn’t have super smelling powers or the ability to psychically read my emotions. I don’t have time to deal with potential wolf jealousy when Nolan’s soul is hanging in the balance. If my life were normal, I’d be on the phone with Mei, giggling and blushing as I told her about what happened between me and Nolan. Instead, I’m spending my day using my goddess given powers to bring my mortal enemy back to the land of the living. Fortunately, I love Nolan far more than I hate her.
Unaware of my cluttered thoughts, Kaleb squares his shoulders, and a determined expression settles on his face. “I won’t let you down.”
My smile becomes more genuine. “I have complete faith in you.”
He seems to glow under the compliment, his warm brown eyes alight with calm confidence. Holding out his hand, he asks, “Ready?”
Touched by the offer of added support, I gratefully place my hand in his. Our fingers lace together, and with more confidence than I feel, we take the brick stairs together. We reach the top as the front door opens a few inches, a terrified Neva silently peeking around it.
“I’m Carlotta Lyncas, matriarch of the Lyncas Coven,” my paternal grandmother announces in an authoritative tone. “I’m seeking answers that will aid in the process of curing…” She looks over her shoulder at me. “What is your vampire paramour’s name? The one who had the gall to threaten me?”
“Nolan Campbell,” I answer with bemusement, because I can’t tell if she’s offended or impressed by what he did.
She snaps her fingers like she just recalled the name herself, while Dalia appears proud by the idea that her grandson threatened a powerful witch. I was aware of the rift between vampires and shifters, but recently, I am getting the impression that there isn’t much love lost between vampires and witches either.
Carlotta turns back toward the door and continues, “We’re seeking answers to save Nolan’s life. It’s been brought to my attention that your daughter is responsible.”
Neva’s limited gaze shifts to Mildred, as if asking permission to speak. It’s shocking to see her this meek. Long gone is the self-righteous woman who barged onto the Campbells’ property, demanding retribution for her daughter.
My nan cooly commands, “Step aside and let us in.”
Carlotta appears displeased about being circumvented, but she keeps her thoughts to herself as Neva mutely does as ordered.
Once inside, Mildred turns her attention to Dalia. “While we work on gathering the information we need, feel free to get the answers you seek from Neva. She can’t lie or withhold information.”
Nolan’s grandmother’s eyes have a menacing gleam as they narrow on the former coven leader. “Show me what you value most.”
Neva flashes a pleading look toward my nan, but she only gets a cold, “Do as she requests,” in response.
Defeated, she leads Dalia up the stairs near the entryway.
“It’s dangerous to have the woman incapable of keeping secrets in a town full of humans,” Carlotta comments with a curious raised brow. “Does the spell have limits on whom she can speak to?”
“No, but she’s incapable of leaving the house,” my nan answers while beginning her journey upstairs, Mr. Mischief trailing after. She appears as comfortable here as she does at home. “Anytime she approaches a door that opens to the outside, she’s overcome by a terrified certainty that she will die if she passes the threshold. It seemed like an apt punishment while Nolan suffered due to her negligence.”
