MAKING MAGICKAL ALLIANCES: A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Novel Leigh Raventhorne (read the beginning after the end novel TXT) 📖

Gloria nudged Dutch and he calmed. “Well, if any of what you just said is true, they picked a fight with the wrong witch.” Dutch looked confused at his girlfriend’s words. “What?” she asked, lifting her chin. When she got this worked up, her New York upbringing came out. “I mean it. They don’t know who they’re messin’ with. They’re not just messin’ with her, they’re messin’ with all of us. Roxie’s going to wipe the street with them and bring those kids back safe and sound. And we’ll be right by her side to help.” She practically glowed as he put his arm around her and pulled her tight to his side, kissing the top of her head.

“She’s right, Roxie. Even if the kids weren’t involved, we’d have your back.” Clyde's words were echoed by everyone in the kitchen.

How I had come to deserve these people in my life, I didn’t know. But I would do everything in my power to make sure I continued to earn their friendship, respect—and kept them safe—no matter what.

Chapter 11

Turnabout is fair play

We helped Gloria clean up the kitchen as we hashed and rehashed everything we knew so far. By the time we were done, we still weren’t any closer to knowing where the missing children were or who took them. I started to rub the cuff of my bracelet, then caught myself. When Zara joined us just as a fresh pot of coffee finished brewing, I fixed a plate for her and sat it on the counter. A glance around the room told me Sebastian must have left to watch over their kits. Once again, I worried about what would happen when he and Danai left us to go home. How attached had my familiar become to him?

She met my eyes over her plate. I understand the way of things, Roxanne. I have you and I have five healthy kits who will usher in a new generation of powerful witches. I will be fine.

Still, my heart hurt for her. Gods, I was such a sap. Zara winked at me and returned to her meal.

Someone’s throat cleared, interrupting my thoughts. “I’m going to touch base with Jeremy and see if he’s gotten anywhere with either Margo or that Harris guy,” Clyde said, pulling his phone out as he left the room. Dutch and Gloria excused themselves minutes later to go for a walk as the sun began to set, the Louisiana skyline showing off an impressive canvas of reds, purples, pinks, and oranges.

Sam and Tess were quietly discussing something over near the dining room, and I had no idea where Danai had disappeared to.

She is with Sebastian and the kits, Zara supplied. She wanted to weigh and measure them again.

Ah, yes. The healer was keeping a log of everything to do with the kits. This was such an unprecedented event, she felt it needed to be recorded.

I decided to forego coffee and poured myself a glass of ice water. “Where’s Jake?”

“He went back to the grey, I think. Maybe halfway through our workout this morning. Why?”

“He’s spending a lot of time there lately, it seems.” I wondered if he would cross over soon and wasn’t sure how I felt about that. He had become as much a fixture in my life as Rand, Toby, and even Zara. My familiar let out an indignant huff, but continued eating. She needed a lot of extra calories these days to feed her babies.

Rand nodded. “He is. I think he’s spending more time with the wraiths these days, since I can’t.”

“Do you miss that? Being able to go over there?” This was something we hadn’t discussed since his change.

“Not really. It wasn’t so much that I was able to go over there, it was that I had to, to recharge. Now, well, let’s just say the trade off is more than acceptable.” He’d moved close enough that I could feel the faint energy and warmth coming off him. It made me want nothing more than to lean against him, turn my face up to his, and begin working my way across his jawline with my lips. He must have felt it, too, because his blue eyes darkened to a stormy grey. He took a step closer.

“Hey, you two.” Sam’s amused voice snapped us out of . . . whatever this was. Guiltily, I began to step back then stopped myself. I was a forty-one year old woman, not some lovestruck teenager. And this was my house. Sheesh. Zara sneezed and I thought I heard a whispered mental ‘get a grip.’

“What’s up?” Thankfully, my voice was steady.

Sam and Tess looked at me, then at each other. Tess rolled her eyes so hard, I was surprised she didn’t strain something.

Sam held up her phone. “The people I sent up to Michigan to check on things just reported in.”

Wait, hadn’t that just been this morning? At my look of confusion, she explained. “I sent them out on the private jet retained by the firm. It was a straight flight, so they arrived a couple of hours ago.”

I blinked. “Lido Law has a private jet on retainer?”

Grinning, she said, “Among other things, yes. So if any of us want to head up to Michigan or anyplace else, it’s not a problem.”

My thoughts went to Annie. Both she and Cammie could be here in a matter of hours. I tried to remember if Cammie’s condition would restrict her from being able to fly or not. With an effort, I pulled my attention back to the matter at hand. “So? What’s the news?”

“I ended up sending two teams. They’re set up to keep an eye on both Annie and Leo. One team is also looking into the witch we think is controlling Leo. All