Page 29

Hazel

“How the fuck did he get the police and the EA looking for you so quickly?” gritted the elder wizard.

Did Seth’s father not see the fact that I was still in uniform? Or did he believe that I wore it for fun? I bet he was the type who thought women couldn’t be cops.

“It’s too late anyway. You’re mine now.” He leered at me. “At least you’re a human and a woman this time. Far from beautiful, but pretty enough.”

So, how did a cop end up kidnapped? Apparently, very easily.

The owner of the pizzeria who’d been giving away celebratory pies had just put a large pepperoni pizza in for the boys and girls in blue when I suddenly found myself unable to move.

I was led magically away, unable to shout a warning.

Once outside, I was stuffed into the back of a car that wasn’t even supposed to be there.

All vehicles should have been directed away one intersection over.

And as we'd driven down the empty street, no one had stopped us. Not even the pair of cops who sat in their cruisers watching the intersection. They didn’t even notice the barrier lifting into the air and landing back into place as we drove under it . It was all very creepy.

We’d kept driving to a gated community and into the garage of a mansion. Seth’s father—what was his name again? Samuel?—wasn’t even going to hide where he was taking me. This must be his home, as in Seth’s old house.

Was it bad that the first thing I thought to do was look for his baby photos?

Elena would be so happy to have them. Maybe later, when the asshole didn’t have me tied to a chair in the basement.

The driver had rushed me down here to “avoid scaring the children.” I wondered if Seth knew he had half-siblings.

Probably, yes. There probably wasn’t much Seth didn’t know.

I wondered if he’d had kids with the lady we saw him with that day at the marina.

“Let’s see what you’re capable of,” Samuel said, rubbing his hands. “If my son wants you, then you must have plenty of magic.”

This guy thought I had magic? He was in for a surprise.

He reached his long, spindly fingers toward me, and the moment they touched me, it felt as if they were ripping out every happy feeling in my body. After a moment that felt like an eternity, he released me, and I was finally able to gasp in a breath.

But it was quickly shaken out of me. “You’re hiding it.”

“What?”

“Your magic!”

“I don’t have any.”

“Lies!” He backhanded me.

I reeled back from the impact and gritted my teeth through the sting.

“Expose your magic.”

What an ass! Demanding a woman “expose” anything was just plain wrong.

“Chief thinks my talent is inherent magic nullification. That was my grandfather’s talent.”

“Impossible! That’s completely useless as a talent. And I watched as magic traveled from you to Seth. I will access your powers.”

Did he mean when we were standing with him? That wasn’t my magic, was it? It was Seth’s! Or maybe it was ours, I thought, thinking of how strong the lights around us had shimmered when we made love.

Ha! As if this asshole knew what love was.

There was a loud knocking upstairs, and a woman’s voice shouted down, “Samuel, there are cops at the door.”

“Ignore them, and do not open that basement door again,” Samuel bellowed.

“Yes, sir,”

Was that a maid? Or the mistress?

But my thoughts were cut off when he touched me again. This time, it wasn’t just the feeling of having the happiness sucked out of me; there was a searing pain too. I howled.

When the echos faded, I was barely conscious. The world swam around me and I struggled to stay awake. Something in my subconscious told me I had to hold on, that if I passed out now, I might never wake. Might never see Seth and Liam again!

And Chief. And Mike. Even Eugene and Tommy.

I’d come to Darlington without any family or friends, but I knew in that moment why my grandparents had added the clause that I had to live in the house for at least five years.

Here in Darlington, I’d found a life I never thought I’d have. And with it came two wonderful men.

No! I had to hang on. I wasn’t ready to give up yet. Not when I’d just found Seth and Liam. I didn’t know what my future with them held, but I knew it would be good.

But the light in the room dimmed, and with it, my hold on the world. No matter how hard I tried to grasp at the threads of reality, everything started to fade.

It was the loud rattling shaking the entire house that gave me the jolt needed to escape the dark arms of death.

“The fuck?” Samuel shouted. “My wards!”

There was no response unless you counted the stomping of boots across his floor. Several doors slammed open, and a specialized police tactical unit marched in. Samuel pulled me over to use me as a shield.

The last to enter the room was Chief Henderson. And Seth!

“Daddy dear, your wards are getting awfully weak.”

“You! Get out of my house.” He looked around at the team. “I demand to see the warrant.”

“A warrant?” Chief chortled. “You are under arrest for the kidnapping of an officer.”

“How dare you!” Samuel waved his hand, directing his magic at the chief, but nothing happened.

“That’s your magic?” Seth cackled, sounding straight up like the bad guy. “I can snuff it out like a candle.”

As Samuel asked for his lawyer and was put into magic-proof cuffs, probably enhanced by Seth, one of the members of the task force came to untie me, and I realized it was Liam.

Damn! He looked good in the uniform! Even in my barely conscious state, I could appreciate the view.

Chief extended a hand, and I tried to take it, but nothing worked. When I tried again, I slumped over instead, falling out of my chair. Concrete rose up to meet me.

“What’s wrong with her?” Chief asked, catching me before I smashed my head on the floor.

“Shit!” Seth shoved his way to the front and picked me up. “He tried to drain her magic. Her aura is weak, and her magic nullification isn’t working. The idiot!” He carefully transferred me over into Liam’s arms, turned to his father, and with a growl, punched him in the face.

Man, it felt good to watch his head snap back.

Except Seth did not stop. His magic wrapped around the older man, suspending him in the air like a punching bag, and he pummeled him again and again. There was a dark look on Seth’s face like he wasn’t really there anymore, and in his place was someone more deadly, ruthless.

Liam’s warning rang loud in my head, and I tried to reach for him, stop him before he murdered his father in front of a bunch of witnesses.

The asshat deserved it, but not if it ruined Seth and Liam’s— and now, my — life.

My body refused to move. Samuel was not defenseless, however, and I watched as magic that had been in the walls of the home coalesced and rushed in to protect him.

It was Liam and Chief who pulled Seth off his father.

“He’s not worth the blood on your hands, kid,” Chief said as the others dragged the asshole outside.

If Seth took offense at being called kid, he didn’t show it.

Chief turned to me. Liam had carefully placed me on a chair as he went to stop Seth’s homicidal rage, but I was now back in his arms. Every moment in contact with him made me feel a little stronger like his touch alone was healing me.

“Is she going to recover?” Chief asked, worry clear in his voice. “Should we bring her to the hospital?”

“No. They can’t help,” Seth said, looking more like himself again. “But we can.” He touched me and I felt the transfer of magic, like he was replacing what had been cruelly stolen from me.

As the two talked, hashing out the details of my care for the next few days, I turned to Liam, who noticed immediately.

“We’ll get you home soon, Babygirl, and feeling like new.” He kissed my forehead.

But I wasn’t worried about that right now. “Any idea where Seth’s old baby photos might be?” I asked quietly, mostly because speaking took energy I didn’t have right now.

He grinned. “I sure do.”

Seth returned after his talk with Chief. “Looks like you’re in our care again, Hazy Daisy.”

I found it silly that Chief and Seth even bothered.

I was my own person, and I planned on staying with Seth and Liam anyway.

But apparently Chief had given Seth an ultimatum, lose his shit again like that, especially if it came to me, and Seth would find himself locked up for good…

six feet under. Aww. All this violence threatened on my behalf was going to go to my head.

I knew Seth would never hurt me, but I appreciated the sentiment. Chief really cared.

It turns out that I was too weak for portal travel right this second, so as Seth sat with me cradled in his arms, Liam disappeared to find my prize.

Every moment with him had me feeling better and better.

It wasn’t until Seth was about to open a portal straight back to his home that he noticed Liam was missing.

“I sent him on a mission,” I explained, even as Liam appeared with an old-fashioned photo album tucked under his arm.

Seconds later, we were stepping through a portal into Seth’s living room, and I was lifted off my feet and carried up the stairs.

“Hey! Do you know what’s not fair?” I asked. “I never did end up getting any of that pizza.”

“I’ll order in,” Liam said from right behind us.

“Hazel doesn’t like pineapple,” Seth offered.

“Got it, double pineapple,” Liam said, nodding.

“Eww!”

Seth laughed. “Hawaiian isn’t that bad.”

“It is, too!”

But we couldn’t avoid talking forever by arguing about the legitimacy of pineapple on pizza.

“You came to claim me publicly,” Seth accused.

“I had no choice. The bitch was trying to steal you.”

“But now everyone knows. You know Tommy, Eugene, and Mike threatened me with bodily harm, and Chief didn’t even bat an eye.”

My face heated up.

“Does it embarrass you?”

“ They are embarrassing,” I clarified. “But I know it comes from a good place.”

Seth nodded. “I’m sorry I got all defensive the other day. You didn’t deserve that. And I’m sorry for blaming you, Liam, for jumping the gun. I was a jerk.”

“I know you are,” Liam said, putting his phone away. “I forgive you. I ordered two meatlovers and a deluxe. They’re on their way.”

I shook my head at Liam’s ability to focus on food at a time like this. But then again, I was ravenous. And I bet Seth was too. I imagined he was the type who got hangry. So was I.

But now that Seth had said his part, it was my turn. “I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but I found one. I have to give you two ample warning though. I have no clue what the hell I’m doing. I’ve never witnessed a healthy relationship in my life. I’ve got nothing to emulate.”

Seth chuckled. “You and me both.”

I shook my head. “But you and Liam are healthy.”

He looked pensive. “I guess we are. But either way, we are going to have to learn together.” He plopped down on a couch next to me.

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” I agreed.

“Does that mean you’re moving in?” Liam asked, lying down right over our laps.

“One step at a time!” Seth and I both exclaimed.

“Aww.”

But I leaned in and kissed him. I’d found love with not one but two amazing guys. I might not know the secret to happy relationships, but I was willing to learn.

I suddenly remembered Griselda’s declaration that if I pushed forward, I’d lose something important but gain more in return. I knew now what I’d gained: a chance at a life with Seth and Liam. But what had I lost?