Page 2 of Shadowed Spirits (Haunted Magic #2)

CHAPTER 2

IZZY

I nstead of opening to Levi’s office, the portal spits me and Aggie out into the Nightshade’s dining room. All the breakfast dishes are cleared, and Luca, Bishop, and Cain are nowhere to be seen.

A groggy Archer lifts his blond head from where it was resting in his hands when I walk toward him. He blinks his aquamarine eyes at me a few times, like he thinks he’s hallucinating. “Sunshine? What are you doing here?”

“School didn’t exactly go the way I planned, so Levi thinks I should take the day off.” I mean, that’s not a lie. Getting arrested was very much not on my to-do list today. Or any day.

Archer snorts at my explanation. “What happened?”

“Oh, the usual. My classroom getting stormed by council guards, them trying to arrest me for being a spirit mage, and Levi swooping to the rescue.” I shrug like it’s no big deal, even though my heart is still pounding frantically in my chest. If I hadn’t had Aggie with me or known Levi was my mate, things would’ve turned out so differently.

All humor is wiped from Archer’s handsome face. His angular features transform from boyish and easygoing to murderous in a heartbeat. He rushes over to me and inspects me for any injuries. “Are you okay?”

I can’t help the slightly hysterical giggle that slips out at his question. The exact scenario I’ve dreaded for the last fourteen years played out when I have more people to lose than ever. No, I’m not okay.

But I’m saved from having to answer by Levi walking through the portal. “Where are the others, pup? We don’t have much time.”

Archer keeps me pressed up against his hard front as he faces Levi. “Luca and Cain are upstairs. Bishop’s probably at Elemental, but I don’t know for sure. He portaled somewhere right after you guys left.”

Levi gives a sharp nod before stalking out of the dining room. I rush to follow him. Before I can get very far, Archer snags my hand but makes no move to stop me. When I catch up to Levi, I ask, “Why don’t we have much time? Their memories are gone, so the only person who knows now is Doyle.”

Not even pausing in his trek through the massive Nightshade mansion, up the stairs, and to Luca’s room, Levi answers. “One of the guards is supposed to check in with him in less than an hour. He’ll send out another team if he doesn’t hear from the original one. We need to get to him before he can tell anyone else. Erasing memories is never perfect. The more I have to erase, the more likely someone will remember something.”

I have to practically run to keep up with Levi’s long legs. From the muffled laughter behind me, I’m pretty sure Archer is finding my predicament amusing, the jerk. When we reach the top floor, Levi’s pace slows enough for me to mutter, “Fuck.” Because what else is there to say?

Today has been a shit show of epic proportions, and it isn’t even nine o’clock yet. That so does not bode well for the rest of the day.

When we enter Luca’s room, he looks up from his desk. He’s in only faded blue jeans, leaving his impressively muscular chest and abs bare. I still wonder who he sold his soul to in order to get so jacked. Muscles that nice should be illegal. His face softens when his aquamarine gaze lands on me, but his features harden again when he takes in our probably panicked expressions.

Luca bolts up from his desk and rushes over. “What happened?”

I cock an eyebrow at him. “Who said anything happened, wolf boy?” Pushing his buttons a little makes everything feel a bit more normal, instead of like the sky is falling and the world is burning around me. Although, I sure wouldn’t mind the council getting personal experience of what it feels like to be cooked over an open fire.

His lips tilt up in a half smile as he advances on me. When he reaches me, he wraps an arm around my waist and hauls me against his rock-hard abs. I squeak in surprise as I crash into him and look at him with wide eyes, causing his smirk to grow.

“I can see it written all over your face, wildcat. Now stop sassing me and tell me what happened,” Luca demands.

I huff at him but quickly fill him in on the whole arrest shebang. We don’t really have time for me to argue with him. Look at me, being all responsible and shit. It’s disgusting.

“Where are the other wolf and the mage?” Levi rumbles from behind me. “We’ll need all the backup we can get to go against Doyle.”

Luca dips down and gives me a hard and fast kiss before breaking away and stalking to his closet, leaving me in a daze. I’m still not used to the affection my wolf mates like to throw around like confetti.

“Cain’s downstairs with Prue,” Luca calls from the closet. I hold in my groan at having to interact with Prue. I’ve managed to avoid her since restraining myself from shanking her with rusty cutlery. “I’ll call Bishop and have him meet us in the kitchen. Lemme throw on a shirt and shoes, and we can head down.”

Luca putting on a shirt is a damn shame, but sacrifices have to be made for the greater good—or so I’m told.

“I’m going to go see if any of the undamaged ghosts know anything about what’s going on. Call me if you need me, kid.” Aggie waits until I give her a nod before fading away.

It only takes Luca a minute to get dressed. He then leads our not-so-merry procession through the winding maze they call a house until we reach the kitchen. When he pushes open the heavy navy door, I’m bombarded with a cacophony of sound. Pots clanging, knives chopping, meat sizzling, dough slamming on marble countertops, and some of the thirty people in the cavernous space yelling out instructions.

My gaze snags on the copper pots hanging haphazardly from the ceiling and the large brick fireplace before noticing Cain and Prue at the opposite end of the kitchen. They’re both cracking eggs into a mound of flour. Cain has to keep sweeping his black hair out of his startlingly green eyes. His thick, wavy hair has grown out since I met him, now approaching shoulder length.

As we walk closer, I can make out some of their conversation.

“Ya know, this would be easier if you cut your hair. You wouldn’t have to keep pushing it out of your face if you did.” Cain grunts at Prue but doesn’t say anything as he keeps mixing what looks like pasta dough. Prue sighs. “No one’s saying you have to get a buzz cut, but you don’t even like it being so long. Have you talked to your mate about everything with our egg donor? Maybe she’d be able to help.”

Cain clenches his jaw and uses his bare forearm to push his dark hair out of his face. “I’m fine and don’t need to talk to anyone about it. Stop meddling, Prudence.” I can’t help but admire his defined arms, showcased by the rolled-up sleeves of his black button-down.

Prue huffs and rolls her eyes before aggressively kneading the pasta dough, her frustration at her brother seeping into her movements. “Stop being such a numbskull, Silence. You’re not fine. If you won’t talk about it for your sake, do it for your mate.”

Cain opens his mouth to respond when his gaze clashes with mine. His eyes widen before he ducks his head in what looks like embarrassment, which makes me feel bad for eavesdropping. Our group comes to a stop in front of the metal table they’re working on, and Cain keeps his gaze trained on the balls of pasta dough in front of him.

Prue looks up at our approach, and her hazel eyes light up when she spots me. She rushes over in a whirl of auburn curls and wraps me in an enthusiastic hug. I freeze as she squeezes the life out of me.

Seemingly oblivious to my uncertainty, Prue pulls back to grin at me. “New sis! How are you? We so need to spend more time together. Oh my God, we could do a sleepover! Wouldn’t that be great?”

“Um,” I start, unsure of what to say to the exuberant woman in front of me.

“Prue, let her go.” I can hear the laughter in Cain’s voice at my predicament. I would glare at him for finding this funny, but I still feel bad about listening to his private conversation. Flashing him a small smile over Prue’s shoulder, I’m relieved when I get a grin back.

She pouts but lets me go before sticking her tongue out at her older brother. “You’re always such a party pooper.”

Cain huffs a laugh before wiping his doughy hands on a towel he had tucked into the waistband of his charcoal suit pants. “What are you guys doing here? I thought you were supposed to be at school, angel.”

Prue makes a swooning motion when Cain calls me angel , and I can’t help the small chuckle that slips out. At my laughter, Prue gives me a megawatt smile. I don’t want to find her funny, damn it, but I totally do.

Refocusing on Cain’s question, my mirth fades away. “I had a, uh, situation at school. We need to go get Bishop and then take care of it.”

His forehead scrunches in confusion, and he opens his mouth to ask questions I can’t answer in a crowded kitchen. I look around us pointedly, and his gaze lights with understanding. He gives me a sharp nod.

“Let’s head out.” Cain sets his dish towel on the metal table before pulling Prue into a quick hug. “Love you. Don’t cause pandemonium or burn down the kitchen while I’m gone. Please.”

She rolls her eyes at him. “That was one time, Silence. One. Time!” Prue gathers up the balls of dough before turning back to Cain. “Love you too, bro. Bye Luca, Archer, and random guy. See you soon, new sis!”

When Prue bounds off like a coked-up bouncy ball, we walk back through the kitchen. Now that I’m not so focused on Cain and Prue’s conversation, I notice all the people around us, who are definitely staring at us. Or, more specifically, me. I feel a blush creep up at being the center of attention. None of the wolves are staring at me hostilely, just with curiosity, but I still feel the weight of their judgment. I’m sure they wanted a nice, respectable she-wolf. Not a mage who unleashes chaos and trouble everywhere she goes.

Luca pushes open the navy door and almost runs into Bishop, who steps to the side to allow us to exit the bustling kitchen. His brown hair is mussed, like he’s been running his hands through it, and his baby blue eyes shine with worry.

As soon as the door swings closed behind Archer, Bishop grabs me by my waist and lifts me up. My legs automatically wrap around his waist, and I wind my arms around his neck. He tunnels one hand into my hair and clutches me to him, like he’s concerned I’ll fade away if he doesn’t. I lay my head on his soft, navy band T-shirt while I soak up his comfort.

“I’m so fucking glad you’re okay, sweetheart.” Hearing the anxiety bleed into Bishop’s voice makes me feel awful and gives me warm fuzzies at the same time. While I hate when my family or mates worry about me, it does also warm my cold, dead little heart that they care about me. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve so many people giving a shit about me, since I’m a prickly, self-destructive asshole most of the time.

“I’m sorry I worried you,” I whisper into his neck.

Bishop lets out a quiet chuckle. “You don’t have anything to apologize for.” Bishop holds me for a long moment more before placing a lingering kiss on top of my hair and letting me slide down his body. “So, what’s the plan? And how are we going to get the wolves past council security?”

With how much mages hate wolves, there’s no chance the guards would allow them to walk through the front door.

Levi shakes his head. “We won’t need to go through security. I can take us straight to Doyle’s office.”

My eyebrows raise in surprise. “How? Portals don’t work in the council building.” That would’ve made breaking in so much easier if we could’ve just portaled in. But, alas, the council members aren’t complete dumbasses about security. They have pretty beefy spells that prevent all portal travel in or out.

“I won’t be portaling us in. I’ll open a rift, which bypasses the protection spells.” Levi opens one of his freaky but cool portals, complete with bloodred flames and a yawning black abyss. I wish my portals were as badass as his.

I tilt my head in confusion as I process what he said. “What is a rift?”

“It’s a travel method typically used between realms inter-realm , similar to portals but not exactly the same.” Levi casually drops that bomb like inter-realm travel is something we earthlings know about. He then glances at the clock on the wall in concern. We’ve already wasted fifteen minutes, so we need to get a move on it. “Shall we go?”

After a chorus of agreements, Bishop steps through, followed by the wolves. Taking a breath and hoping I can obtain the answers I need without getting everyone I care about killed, I go through the rift next.