Page 107

Story: Bad Magic

“It’s just a bruise,” Lenny said to him.

A look of horror covered his face.“I hurt you.”

“You did.You can’t hold me so tight.You’re much bigger and stronger than me.”

His arm around her loosened.

“You okay?”Jagger asked her.

Lenny nodded, then sat, and Kurgan, eyes locked on his female, did the same, holding her carefully pressed against him.“You okay?”he asked, imitating Jagger’s tone.

“Yes, Kurgan,” she said.“I’m okay.”

He looked at Jagger then, as if seeking approval.“Lenny’s okay,” Kurgan said.“I can be gentle.”

“That’s good, son.That’s really good.”Jagger’s gaze slid to her wounded leg, it was healing, but an obvious bite, but didn’t comment.“We need to go after Tarrant,” Jagger said, turning to me and Brick.“You know where they are?We need to find whoever’s pulling his strings.”

“They’re working for the lord Beelzebub,” I said.

Rumbling growls rolled from Roman and Lothar.

“You saw him?”Jagger asked through gritted teeth.

Brick’s lips peeled back.“Yeah, we saw him.We were being held in his quadrant.”

Jagger took me from Brick as we explained what happened.When we were done, he called Lucifer to let him know.

“He called in the lords.If Beelzebub doesn’t know you’ve escaped, he might go in.”

“That fucker’s arrogant enough to try,” Lothar said.

We headed off, making our way through the forest, Jagger still carrying me in his arms, and every now and then he’d press his nose to my hair and breathe me in, and every time he did, a low rumble vibrated through his chest.“Where are we going?”I asked.

“Somewhere you and Lenny can rest for the night.”He pressed his mouth to my ear.“Somewhere I can wash another male’s scent off you,” he added with a growl.

I pressed my hand to his chest.“Please don’t be mad at Brick, he was helping me.”

“Not mad at the pup, sunshine, fucking grateful.That doesn’t stop the beast from wanting to rub my scent all over you to make sure everyone knows who you belong to.”

I fell asleep after that; my body was still fighting off the infection and I was exhausted from being chained to a wall for days.

“We’re here,” Jagger said, waking me.

I had no idea how long I’d been asleep, probably several hours because I felt rested.A small stone structure loomed ahead through the trees.“It’s tiny, how will we all fit?”

He grinned down at me.“We’ll fit.”

Lothar pressed his hand to the door and the wood glowed red under his palm.The sound of a heavy lock sliding free came next and Loth strode in first, the rest of us filing in after him.

“Holy shit.”It opened up to a massive foyer.“What is this, the Tardis?”

Fender grunted.“Something like that.”

“It’s one of Lucifer’s places,” Roman said.“He has them all through Hell, so he always has somewhere for him and his handmaids to rest when they’re traveling.”

Rome, Loth, Fender, and Brick walked into a room that had a pool table and big couches.

Jag turned to Kurgan.“There’s a room through there.Go in if you need to check it’s safe, then leave Lenny to rest.”