Page 119 of Mage Massacres

Those three would spend eons trying on every article of clothing that Sloane owned. The possibilities for outfits were infinite, and if I were lucky, we would make it to the guild in two weeks.

When I growled in frustration, Sloane cackled.

“Why are you laughing?” Hyde inquired.

“Palmer is freaking out because I’m naked in front of his sister. He’s regretting being a virgin until he was twenty-four.”

I loosened my collar. “That’s neither true nor what I said. I’m freaking out because we’re late, and your quest to find the right outfit is a never-ending journey since you look perfect in all of them. I think it’s weird that Millie is—”

“But not Hyde?” Miller questioned.

“Well, now that you bring it up—”

“Tits are tits,” Hyde eloquently informed me, leaving the closet to sit beside me. “Listen, Palmer. Your possessiveness is misplaced.”

“Change the subject,” I groaned, trying to climb out of the hole I’d dug myself. “I don’t need you to–”

She patted my knee, continuing her explanation, anyway. “We’re not checking each other out, and we’re not interested in anything sexual. Some people are comfortable enough not to care about nudity when they’re around their friends. Sloane doesn’t have anything that we don’t already see when we look in the mirror.”

I muted her. “No more talking. I get it. My bad. You don’t need to keep going.”

Miller reappeared from the mouth of the closet, carrying two pairs of heels, and frowned at me. “Unmute her.”

“No.”

“Palmer,” Millie scolded.

“Not until Sloane is dressed and ready to leave. We’re late. She isn’t helping.” I tipped my head toward the angry succubus at my side.

Hyde’s voice echoed in my mind, soothing and melodic. “You want to unmute me, Palmer. You’re ready to go, and you know I can help you.”

I reversed the silencing spell I’d placed on the succubus. Then I furrowed my brows, glancing between the smiling women. I had acted without thought, almost as if I was on autopilot.

“I don’t like that,” I told them. “How did you do it?”

Sloane shrugged, a black blazer hanging off her shoulders. “I pulled her into your mind.”

“If you ever mute me again,” Hyde snarled, her honey irises flashing crimson as her ire toward me rose. “I will persuade you to believe nightmares so horrific that not even the Devil herself will be able to drag you out of the Hell I create.”

It might end up being a mistake, but part of me wanted to test her temper and imagination. The other part of me wasn’t willing to miss the council meeting at the guild. I bit at my cheek, attempting to stave off my curiosity.

I’d have to push her buttons another day.

“Understood,” I stated, my voice even and unaffected as I smirked.

My mate eased into her jacket, and I stood to straighten my shirt. She blew Millie and Hyde a kiss as I grasped her elbow, taking her with me as I stepped into the Void.

We had planned to walk through the front entrance of the guild, but we had also discussed analyzing the security first. The ideas had been thrown around as we’d planned, though only two made sense.

Either the protections had been disabled from the inside, or they were failing without anyone’s knowledge.

We popped into the reception area with no resistance from the security. The secretary clutched her chest, wholly unaware of the implications our sudden appearance meant.

“Oh,” she gasped, visibly taking a calming breath. “You nearly gave me a heart attack. Can I assist you with something?”

I let go of Sloane, walking closer to the tall desk at her workstation. “You weren’t here last month. Are you new?”

“I’m a temp. Allison is on leave for two months due to surgery…”