Page 35 of Samhain Savior

“Oh.” She giggled, lifting her head and fixing me with a smirk. “That was definitely me and Malumhere.” She gave the hell hound an affectionate pat on the head. His body was huge, way bigger than the average hell hound, and he looked even larger standing beside the diminutive witch. “But the priest was already dead when we got there. I just saw an opportunity so I took it.”

“Of course, you did. You’re an opportunistic parasite, so I’d expect nothing less.”

“Hey!” Her pretty face morphed into a hateful scowl. “Get off my fucking case, Archer. I’m out here hustling like everyone else. A girl’s gotta look out for herself in the big wide world, you know?”

“You’re no girl!” Vine taunted. “You’re a bottom feeding nightmare.”

“That’s not what you said when we were in Athens together.”

I gaped at Vine, and he at least had the decency to look embarrassed.

“What? She was persistent as fuck and I’d had too much ouzo!” Looking back down at Moira, Vine added, “And youwerea bottom feeder in Athens, too, if I recall.”

It took a second for his words to sink in, but when they did, I cringed.

“Vine, you sick fuck.”

He only grinned

“Fuck you, Vine. I’m tired of this bullshit. Give me the girl, Archer. I’ve been tracking her across four states. I’ve earned her. She’smine.”

No, she’s mine.

The thought struck through my mind out of nowhere, and while I didn’t have the capacity to really examine it at the moment, something about it felt right.

Shewasmine, whether she liked it or not.

Pushing that aside for later, I glanced behind me, hoping that Delilah was smart enough to have stayed in her room. The entire upstairs was warded, but that witch was slippery. Who knew what she would attempt.

“Moira, you know that’s not going to happen. We’re never going to hand over the witch.”

“If you won’t give her to me, I’ll just have to take her.”

“Never.”

Mal’s single word, coming from behind me, was pure threat. I hadn’t even known he’d returned to the house, but I was glad for it.

The low growl that emanated from the hell hound was full of promised violence, lips curled back and revealing a row of sharp, vicious teeth.

The teeth that had torn my friend open so his bitch of a mistress could harvest his organs for her scrying.

“Moira, you’ve no business here. The girl belongs to theUmbra Fratrum. Take your mutt and be gone before I send you and that flea bag into the Pit.”

Eyes darting around the room, Moira calculated her chances, magical energy crackling along her arms as she considered. If there were only one of us, she could probably put up a decent fight, but all four of us? Against just her and the dog?

She’d lose, spectacularly, and she fucking knew it.

“Fine,” she finally conceded, stepping back toward the broken window with a haughty sniff as she released her power, the magic on her hands fading away. “A woman knows when she’s not wanted.” Vine snorted, but said nothing. “I’ll go, but I’m warning you, Archer. The word is out. The bounty is massive and I’m not the only one who will be hunting your girl. Before long, the entire Guild will be on her tail. You may have her, but you’ll never keep her.”

Turning on her heel, Moira darted back out the window, Malum following like smoke on the wind.

“She’s so fuckin’ hot,” Vine breathed, staring at the spot where she’d vanished into the night as he doused the fire on his spear and it disappeared back into his Rip.

“She owes me a window,” I grunted, replacing the arrow in the quiver and sliding it and my bow back into my own Rip.

Turning, I started up the stairs, planning to find Delilah and ensure she was...if not alright, then at least not harmed.

But I froze, my anger returning when I spied her, standing on the landing, clinging to a shirtless Mal like he was her hells damned savior.