Page 80 of Transfiguration
“You kill the bad guys. I’ll find Bella. Then we’ll wait for Luca to get back. Divide and conquer,” Con replied. He flipped through a few other books, gaze scanning the pages as if memorizing them instantly. Spells weren’t usually universal. Every witch had their own spin. Sam didn’t consider himself creative at all. He was the arrow to be aimed and fired, not the person holding the bow. He had never found it all that frustrating until that moment when he felt helpless to do much.
“Okay, but how do we find them?” Sam said, trying to keep his tone even and not throw his irritation at Con. They hadn’t worked together for a reason. Hart had said it made them vulnerable. Sam was too hyperaware if his lover was in danger, and vice versa. But Sam also knew that most of the time, Con worked as his own enforcement. They never talked about it. Con always assured Sam he was fine, and rarely ever came home with any sort of injuries that showed otherwise.
Con’s gaze fell on Sam, studying him.
“I’m not staying here,” Sam said without having to delve into Con’s mind through their Focus bond. That was something else he’d have to work on.
“I might have to travel through the veil to get there,” Con said.
Sam flinched. Moving through fairyland was brutal for vampires. Fae magic wanted to rip the revenant and the mortal soul into two beings. “I can handle it.”
“But you don’t have to. I can do this alone. You can stay and protect Luca.”
“Not happening. Where you go, I go.” Sam folded his arms across his chest, ready for a fight. But Con’s expression softened.
“I love you,” Con said.
Sam felt those words like a punch to the gut, though it wasn’t the first time he’d heard them. It always felt like a gift. “Yeah? I love you too. Don’t fucking leave me.”
Con sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “Can you drive? I need to speed read through some of these books before we start.”
“Yes, sure. Where are we going?”
“The sight of that symbol. The cabin. I’m missing something. I think I need to retrace their steps.” He headed back through the main house, Sam following close behind. “Stay here,” Con instructed Seiran. “If they are after you, Kelly, or the kids, it’s better to keep you away. Besides, I’m about to become a monster. I’d rather you all not hate me tomorrow.”
“Constantine…” Seiran started, but Gabe wrapped his arms around his waist and tugged him into a hug.
“Keep trying to reach Kaine, okay? I bet he needs you.” Con added, playing dirty. Seiran would protect the kids, no matter what. Gabe would protect Seiran, and the safest place for the Pillar of Earth was far away from this crazy cult.
“We will be back soon, Ronnie,” Sam said, trying to sound cocky. “After saving the world for you.”
“Don’t be a martyr.”
“As if, Ronnie. I’m not here for that,” Sam said as he followed Con out to the garage. The vehicle they kept there was a nondescript hybrid SUV. Luca’s choice, Sam thought as he grabbed the keys and headed for it. Hart would have had it altered to have bulletproof glass and extra reinforcement. All the vehicles Luca had access to did. Hart showing he cared, without bothering to let them all know that Luca might be a target.
“If Hart comes back, I’m going to kick his ass,” Sam muttered as he got in the driver’s seat. Con stacked the books on the floor of the passenger seat and got in, clicking his seatbelt into place and opening the first in the stack to scan through it.
“Many people would pay to see that, though I can’t say for sure you’d win,” Con said absently as he flipped through pages at a speed Sam couldn’t imagine reading.
“Ouch. Could you stroke my ego for like ten seconds?”
“I stroke you in a lot of ways longer than that, but you’re a baby compared to Hart, and they cursed him with blood magic. I’d rather not watch you get beaten to a bloody pulp, thanks.”
Sam pulled the SUV out of the garage and headed toward the symbol that had begun this mess. “Do you think there is a piece of Matthew left in it? That symbol? Was that why it was messing with everything?”
“I don’t know. That we found pieces at all is strange. If they need him to transfer magic, why not gather it all?” Con admitted.
“Maybe they aren’t powerful enough?”
“I guess we’ll find out.”
“And if we don’t come back?” Sam said after a few minutes.
“It’s always a possibility. But my goal is to take these assholes out with me.”
“Save the world… got it. I’d rather save us. Does that make me an asshole?” Sam asked, wishing he could go back to everything before all this started.
“I think that makes you human. Doesn’t matter the hybrid. Knowing you’d rather protect yourself and the ones you love, but doing what’s best for other people, I think that’s what makes you amazing.”