Page 19 of A Match Made in Coven (Paranormal Romance #2)

Chapter Nineteen

Cool Under Fire

LORCAN

Time slowed as Silas drew an unfamiliar weapon—a sleek metal cylinder. In the same instant, Sarah Michelle’s hand flew to her holster, unsheathing her stunner gun in a blur of lethal precision he would’ve found hot if he wasn’t so busy fearing for the witch’s life.

The two fired simultaneously, the sharp crack of Sarah Michelle’s shot mingling with the sinister hiss of Silas’s weapon.

A glowing green net, a tangled web of energy, burst forth from the thug’s weapon.

It expanded, reaching for Lorcan and Sarah Michelle with flickering tendrils.

Lorcan’s breath caught in his throat as the net rushed toward them, only to be knocked off course by the precise blast from Sarah Michelle’s stunner.

The grid of energy veered to Lorcan’s side, missing him by mere inches as he dove out of his chair to avoid its grasp.

Lorcan hit the floor hard, the impact jarring through his bones.

His heart hammered against his ribs as he pushed himself up on his elbows, gaze darting to Sarah Michelle.

She remained trapped in her chair, the energy net enveloping her in a tight grip.

Lorcan’s head snapped to Silas next. The loan shark was already turning his weapon on Lorcan, a cruel smile twisting his thin lips.

But Lorcan was ready this time, his reflexes honed by the adrenaline surging through his veins.

His fingers sparked with magic as he unleashed a freezing spell.

The defensive incantation struck Silas square in the chest, immobilizing him.

Silas’s eyes bulged with fury, his face a frozen mask of rage.

Scrambling to his feet, Lorcan rushed to Sarah Michelle’s side. He dropped to his knees beside her chair, his hands hovering uncertainly over the shimmering strands of the net.

“How do I get you out of this thing?”

“The trapper,” Sarah Michelle whimpered—was the constraint hurting her? “You need it to retract the net.”

Lorcan nodded. He hurried over to Silas’s rigid form and pried the metallic cylinder from the criminal’s rigid fingers. The strange device was surprisingly light, the metal smooth and cool against his skin—sleek and futuristic, reminding Lorcan of a lightsaber hilt minus the blade.

The loan shark’s gaze bore into him. Even frozen, Silas’s glower pulsed with undisguised malice, tracking Lorcan’s every movement with a burning intensity that made his skin crawl. He ignored the death glare and rushed back to Sarah Michelle. “Okay, I’ve got it. What do I do now?”

“Recall the net,” Sarah Michelle instructed.

Lorcan fumbled with the cylinder, his fingers trembling as he searched for the right control. A button caught his eye, and he pressed it without hesitation. Instantly, another net shot out, the glowing strands entangling Sarah Michelle further. Lorcan’s stomach dropped, horror washing over him.

“No, no, no!” Sarah Michelle protested, her frustration palpable. “Not that one!”

“Sorry, sorry!” Lorcan apologized hastily. He ignored her exasperated sighs, his fingers moving over the weird metal cylinder’s surface. There had to be a way to reverse this.

Finally, his hand closed around a small lever. With a clumsy twist and a determined pull, Lorcan retracted both nets back into the weapon. The glowing strands disappeared, and Sarah Michelle was free.

In a flash, she was on her feet, her stunner gun drawn and ready. Lorcan watched, equal parts awed and unsettled, as she spoke into her radio.

“This is Detective Callidora, requesting backup at The Backroom bar in Everett. We have a criminal human operation armed with anti-witches weaponry. Over.”

As she ended the call, Sarah Michelle turned to Lorcan, eyes assessing. “How strong is your freezing spell?”

Lorcan straightened, meeting her gaze with confidence. “It’ll hold Silas in place, no problem.”

She nodded, a hint of approval in her expression.

With swift, precise movements, she sent a stream of magic sweeping through the office.

The probe uncovered a hidden stunner gun and two regular human firearms. She took the guns and strapped them to herself, keeping only her service weapon drawn.

Her efficiency and focus were as impressive as they were hot.

“Stay put,” she ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“I’m not staying back while you face whatever danger is out there alone.”

“You’re a civilian, Lorcan. You need to stay put.”

Frustration bubbled up inside him. “That’s dragon droppings, and you know it. If it weren’t for me, you’d still be trapped in that net.”

Their gazes locked. Lorcan refused to back down. But Sarah Michelle matched his intensity.

With a wave of her hand, she turned to the exit. “I have to go alone. It’s protocol.”

He opened his mouth to protest further, but the sudden bang of the office door slamming open cut him off.

Two goons appeared in the doorway, their weapons drawn and aimed at them. They noted the stunner gun in Sarah’s hand, and without hesitation, they turned their guns on her and fired. A bullet and a stunner ray hurtled through the air, aimed at her chest.

They collided with the invisible shimmering barrier of her stunner-proof jacket, bouncing off. Relief flooded through Lorcan, but it was short-lived. Anger surged within him, white-hot and all-consuming. He had had enough of people trying to harm her.

Lorcan’s composure shattered, overpowered by the need to protect Sarah Michelle. His magic flared at his fingertips in a dazzling display of raw power. A pulse of unchecked energy rippled outward, distorting the air and sending a shudder through the walls.

Distantly, he heard her shouting, “Noooo!” but it was too late.

Lorcan released a blast of magic so powerful that it engulfed the entire bar, the parking lot, and every single patron within its reach.

The freezing spell swept through the area, immobilizing everything and everyone in its path—except for her, as if his magic could already recognize Sarah Michelle as part of him.

The wave passed quickly, leaving behind only an acrid bite of ozone.

As the power dissipated, Lorcan lowered his hands, his chest heaving with exertion.

Satisfaction mingled with exhaustion as he surveyed the scene before him.

The goons stood frozen, their expressions trapped in a mixture of shock and fear.

Beyond the office, the bar had fallen silent, its patrons and staff alike caught in the same immobilizing spell.

Lorcan turned to Sarah Michelle, a triumphant grin tugging at his lips. “No one will shoot at you now.”

But as he met her gaze, his smile faltered. Sarah Michelle stared at him, her expression a mix of shock, dismay, and maybe a tiny bit of impressed awe. She shook her head dejectedly as she asked, “What have you done?”