Page 30 of Lunar Desires (Celestial Magic #2)
RILEY
A burst of white fire had the doors and windows shaking, every light going out. The ground quaked as people screamed and a plant pot fell over, spilling soil across the lobby floor.
Wow. Those potions packed a punch. Really, I could’ve just used Tidal Pull. Oh, well. This brought more theatricality to the moment.
Jonathon howled with rage outside, cursing my name. The explosion destroyed the pole, bringing down the power cables. They thrashed, sparking with glorious blue electricity in the water, thrashing their way across the ground.
“No!” my uncle screamed.
Electricity shot through the water in violent ribbons, spitting sparks and seizing each figure in a cocoon of bolts, taking them out in smaller explosions, revealing a flesh version in the middle of them all.
Uncle Jonathon collapsed in a seizure, smoke streaming from his ears, his hair catching fire, his skin blistering.
Despite the rain, he went up like a paper lantern, his bloodcurdling screams clawing at the night.
The rain stopped as if someone had turned off the tap, leaving behind a smoking corpse, a blue stone glittering beside it.
“Another one down,” I said, pain in my temples.
God, the enormity of my violent act sank deeper, a permeating force taking me over.
What if I’d hurt those people at the blockade? Some innocent members of the public trying to get home?
I can’t…
I can’t…
Voices rang behind me. Panic. Phone calls being made. My heart racing, my soul hungry for the next iteration of my uncle.
Kill every piece.
Purge the filth from existence.
Isaac threw an arm around me. “You’re a genius!”
Hardly. More like a demon…
I closed my eyes and took a moment to catch my breath, to silence the dark whispers desperate to spur me into action.
Five minutes later, the power switched off, the street was safe to walk in again. Thankfully, no one other than my uncle hurt.
A lucky escape this time…
As much as I wanted to go upstairs to my flat, I left the building under the furious glares of my neighbors. None of them knew it was me due to the glamor spell, but that didn’t stop a flurry of apologies falling out of my mouth.
Unsuccessful apologies.
Ugh. More guilt to drop kick my soul.
Witchcops took over the scene, closing off the area, even preparing an evacuation of my building.
Probably for the best.
Jake studied the blue stone, now inside a plastic evidence box provided by one of his colleagues. “Look at the little shit.” He turned it over, scowling at the cerulean gem.
“I just want to smash it,” Isaac growled.
“Could explode in your face,” Jake countered. “Best listen to Aaron.”
Drake touched my hand, my skin tingling from his comforting caress.
I shuffled closer to him, super grateful for him being here and alive and not butchered by Uncle Jonathon.
Didn’t stop me from veering close to nausea, my uncle’s screams still ringing in my ears.
I hate this.
I hate all of this.
“Let’s see if he’s still at Ashwood Manor,” Drake whispered, activating his magic. “One there. One?—”
Fire tore across the street, sweeping up into vortex of incredible heat around us.
Oh. Crap.