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“Who’s the guy that smells like fire?” Eduardo stopped to eye Baptiste suspiciously.

“Baptiste. I’m the elemagus Rachon sent.”

“Huh,” was all Eduardo said.

Much to Cian’s annoyance, the were-coyote took his sweet time deciding where to sit, finally scooting in between Alexia and Benchley. Putting his feet on the coffee table, he motioned to Cian to continue.

Cian pinned the coyote with a hard stare, then continued. “According to Rachon, he’s been ignoring us to set his plans in motion. This is most likely true. She had a very different relationship with him than I did.”

Eduardo rolled his eyes.

Cian had the desire to pluck them out. “She fought alongside him. She knows his tactics. I, unfortunately, bore the brunt of them. I know from my own experiences that he likes to play games. He likes to keep his victims off-balance. Honestly, I think he fully expected to kill Samantha tonight. We surprised him. He’ll regroup, reconsider his methods, then try again. We have a little time.”

Amaliya sighed from where she sat. With her legs crossed, she looked wickedly sexy. “He never fuckin’ changes.”

“Which is a good thing,” Baptiste pointed out. “It means he’ll keep the same pattern.”

Benchley chuckled darkly. “Does that mean we’ll keep our pattern of barely surviving?”

“Hey, we kicked ass,” Samantha protested.

Though Cian was inclined to actually chastise the group for everything they’d done wrong tonight, he’d learned enough over his long years of life that this would be the wrong tactic. Swallowing his annoyance, he said, “Cassandra, you did a good job in arming everyone. Samantha was able to kill the were-bear because of the silver bullets.”

“It’s still not good enough. We were too scattered. We need to train together.” Cassandra looked remarkably like her mother in that moment and it made Cian love her just that much more. His daughter was a reminder that there had been good in his life at one point. “I suggest we start training together so we don’t accidently shoot each other.”

“Sorry,” Samantha said, wincing.

“I ducked,” Cassandra said.

Aimee clutched Cassandra’s hand gently, and squeezed it.

“Can you take care of that training, Cassandra?” Cian lifted an eyebrow at the dhamphir. “You have a very good idea what all our strengths and weaknesses are. Make us all into a better fighting unit?”

“Yeah, yeah. I can handle it.” Cassandra grinned, tilting her head to gaze at him with something akin to affection.

“Aimee, your ward was very effective. Maybe too effective.” Cian gestured toward Amaliya. “It complicated matters a bit.”

“I’m already working on a new ward,” the witch said, her expression pensive. She sat cross-legged on the sofa between Cassandra and Baptiste, her bare feet sticking out from

the folds of her flowing, embroidered skirt. “I’m sure I can adjust the wards. I’ll need to borrow Amaliya a few times to make sure it holds up against necromancy.”

“Can do,” Amaliya said.

Cian could tell she was bored. He wanted nothing more than to go home and crawl into bed with her, but there was much to discuss.

“Also,” Aimee continued in such a way Cian knew her next phrase may upset a few people, “Amaliya and Samantha both practice forms of death magic. It’s technically dark magic. That may make it a bit difficult to tune the ward.”

“Dark magic?” Samantha’s brow furrowed. “Jeff, it’s dark magic?”

“Yeah, but not black magic. It’s because it involves dead things, not living things like white magic. Don’t panic.” Jeff cuddled her up tighter.

“Who fuckin’ cares what kind of magic it is as long as it kicks The Summoner’s ass?” Amaliya said. “C’mon. That’s what really matters.”

Aimee nodded somberly. “Exactly.”

Cian didn’t want to get into a discussion about magic, so he plunged onward. “Honestly, I think the most positive outcome of the night is that we now have everyone gathered under two roofs. As far as we know Aimee’s spell to hide the location of my house has worked. Sadly, it won’t take too much to find Jeff’s, but it is the best fortified of both houses. The old wards that Dr. Summerfield placed on the house are still holding according to Aimee. I think a few additions will make it even safer.”

“Plus, this house is built on a positive energy nexus. I need it to renew my energy and so does Baptiste,” Aimee pointed out. “I also have another idea.”