Page 78 of Hexed, Vexed, & Undersexed

"I get to commit felony breaking and entering after all," I murmur, knowing it was a terrible thing to be excited about.

But what can I say? It's a bucket list thing.

"You certainly are unique, Evanora."

Kai chuckles, and instead of walking away like I expect, he kisses me softly.

"I'm just me, Kai. I think being a cat for however many hundreds of years is much more interesting. Think those sneaky cat instincts will be helpful tonight?"

"Well seeing as how I'm a man and not a cat, I guess we'll find out."

"You still seem like a pussy to me," Preston taunts. He laughs, ducking out of the way when Kai chucks a book at him. Bellamy stands there watching the display with a furrowed brow.

"I can't believe I'm now married into this," he huffs indignantly.

"Get used to it because there's nothing that can be done to break the magical bond," Kai explains, making me groan.

"So much for a magical divorce when this was all said and done."

"As much as I'm sure it's thrilling to discuss marriage and bonds and shit, what exactly is the plan now?"

Preston's question is muffled as he bends down and scoops up the book that’s lying haphazardly on the scuffed wooden floor.

"We have what… thirty minutes until it's fully dark out?"

"Give or take," Bellamy answers, looking at the time on his phone.

"Let's eat, go over the layout of the building and the most likely places for the book to be held, and then we'll go."

I can tell based on the others' expressions that they’re all a bit wary on the plan, and as much as I am too, I know it has to be done.

And done it'll be… hopefully with minimal issues.

Don't really want to add 'felon' to my record despite my interesting choice of bucket list items.

An hour and one filling meal later, the four of us pull up to the dark and empty network building.

Glancing around for cameras or security, I find out there are neither. My eyes narrow and I feel a suspicious weight form in my stomach as we slip into the building, Kai’s and Bellamy's magic making it easy to unlock the front.

"What's wrong, Princess?"

Bellamy seems to pick up on the internal struggle I’m dealing with as we walk deeper into the building.

"Did that just seem… too easy?"

"Not really, it's the middle of the night it's not like anyone will be here—"

A sickly sweet greeting meets us as we turn the corner to go to Mindy's office. Her, "Hello, Evanora. I've been expecting you," sends a shiver down my spine because not only is Mindy Trump standing there with Mother Shipton's grimoire in hand...

Bodie, Jake, and Chance are lined up on either side of her.

Oh shit.

My dismay dissolves into shock when Preston walks up and slams a fist into Jake’s face.

“Preston!” I screech at the same time Chance yells, “Jake!”

“What the fuck was that?” I demand, grabbing him and pulling him back. “Jesus, if you were going to hit someone, why didn’t you fucking punch Bodie?!”