Page 85 of Bad Witch

“Are you sure?”

“Leave while you can, Temp. The patients will still be here tomorrow.”

I left fifteen minutes later. I needed to see Glinda and Manfred, and I desperately needed a shower.

* * *

My babies had been given treats, and I was fresh out of the shower when my phone rang. A short break was better than no break. I grabbed my phone, but it wasn’t Jack, it was Fender.

“Hey,” I said, and despite everything, I smiled.

“Mags said you were home. I’m outside your place,” he said. “Don’t worry, not trying to fuck with your rules, but we got a possible lead on the weapons, and I thought you’d want to be there.”

More than anything. “I’m on my way out.”

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Fender

* * *

We stood in Warrick and Willow’s quarters, watching while War cursed and stabbed at the laptop sitting on the table. He wasn’t much for technology, none of us were.

“So, the Wraiths of Destruction,” War said, still distracted. “It seems only one can run around fucking things up at a time. So at least there’s no chance of Mayhem or Annihilation joining in on Disease’s party. They share one physical form, or whatever vessel they snatch from some poor fuck. The lesser god who created them made it so they can choose who’s in control, which is how they managed to have a thing with the priestesses, but when it comes to end of times, no matter who is in the driver’s seat, they have to wreak their havoc in order. Disease, followed by Mayhem, then, well, Annihilation, obviously. That last fucker we do not want running free. If he gets out, shit is going to burn.”

“Can they be killed?”

“Not all at once, unfortunately. Again, it can only happen in order. If these weapons are as good as we think they are, they could kill Disease, but doing that could cause more problems. Taking out Disease means casting the other two from their vessel, and giving Mayhem the green light to go snatch a fresh body for him and his remaining brother, then start tearing shit up.”

“What other options do we have?” Tempest asked.

“If we can stop Disease without killing him, then all of this ends. Lucifer’s looking into it. If there’s a way to do it, he’ll let us know.” Warrick scowled at the laptop and stabbed at it again. “What the fuck is wrong with this thing?”

“Can I help?” Tempest asked.

War turned to her and relief washed over his face. “You know how to use Vidscape?”

“We use it at the clinic. Do you have your password?”

He handed her a piece of paper with his email and password scrawled on it, then stood back and let her sort it out.

Fuck, I’d missed her. For three days straight she’d been working her ass off at that clinic, trying to save her patients. Wills had been worried sick about Iris and her family, and Magnolia had acted so weird when I’d asked her about Tempest, like she was pissed for some reason, but she’d refused to tell me why.

I was getting sick of all the secrets. My female was strong, I was positive of it, but she was also fragile in a lot of ways. What we had was tenuous. I would never give up on her, but she wasn’t where I was in this relationship, or at least she wouldn’t admit it, not even to herself. If I gave her the slightest reason to bolt, she would.

I knew her connection to me had grown, because I felt it. I knew mine to her had as well, because I hadn’t been able to sleep without her. I’d literally been able to feel just how exhausted she’d been. Her distress had been like a beacon sending out an SOS directed right at me, and I couldn’t stay away any longer. My little female had craved comfort, and I’d stopped fighting it and sought her out.

Dragging in a harsh breath, I worked at cooling my blood. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way she’d rubbed up on me to get herself off, or the way she’d looked sitting up there on top of me, chasing her release. It was imprinted on my brain, and although it seemed impossible, I wanted her even more than I had before.

“We’re logged in. Was someone sending a link to join their chat?” Tempest asked.

“Fuck if I know,” War said, looking frustrated.

“Oh, here it is, in your email. A Vidscape invitation to join someone named Guardian666.”

“Guardian? Who’s that?” I asked War.