Anya Bast - Witch Fury

“It’s a possibility.” Micah threw his hands up. “Anything’s a possibility at this point. Again we find ourselves playing a guessing game with the Duskoff, one step behind their agenda while we try to prevent whatever they’re planning from coming to fruition. It’s a familiar, exhausting dance.” Mira moved toward the door. “I’m going in with air magick.” She meant projecting her consciousness from her body so she could travel incorporeally to another place. Strong air witches could do that. “I’ll try and find a crack in the warding around their headquarters in New York like I did when they were holding my aunt. Maybe I can find something out. Maybe they’re keeping the air witch Emily there.” Thomas nodded. “Good. Let me know if you find something out.” He turned his attention to Sarafina. “Now we need to get you sorted out.” Sarafina’s eyebrows rose. “I need sorting out?” “You need instruction. Fire is a volatile element and you need to learn how to wield it with care. To boot, Theo tells me you have more power than most.” Sarafina glanced at him and smiled a little. “I know you’re right. I mean, I saw firsthand what uncontrolled fire magick can do to a person.” Thomas nodded as he shuffled some papers on his desk. “Claire and Adam have agreed to allow you to stay with them. They’ll train you. Adam is a fire witch, and Claire has control of all four elements. They’re the best equipped to help you.” “ No .”

Thomas jerked his gaze to Sarafina. Few witches talked to Thomas Monahan that way. There was a reason he headed the Coven; he had a way of compelling people to obey him.

Sarafina shifted, her hair moving over her shoulders. “Look, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be trouble, but I don’t want to be with anyone but Theo. He’s the only one I trust.” Theo stiffened in surprise. Considering the way things had started out between them, that declaration was unexpected.

Sarafina glanced at Claire. “I mean, oh, God, I just stuck my foot in my mouth, didn’t I? You’ve all been nothing but kind to me, and I’m sure you’re all great teachers and wonderful, trustworthy people—” Claire smiled and touched Sarafina’s arm. “It’s okay. You didn’t offend me. I totally understand and I’m sure Adam does, too.” “Of course,” answered Adam from across the room. He grinned. “Go ahead, reject us.” “Adam!” Claire shot him a mock glare. “He’s just kidding. Adam is almost always kidding.” Sarafina looked at Theo and spread her hands. “It’s just, you know, he fought a demon in my bedroom and won. That’s sort of. . endeared him to me.” She colored a little and glanced away.

Adam opened his mouth and Theo shot him a look that promised much pain if the words poised on his tongue made it into the air.

Thomas nodded slowly, deep in thought. “That’s fine with me as long as it’s okay with Theo. Theo is well versed in all the elements, and he’s got a lot of control and knowledge. Still, I think you’ll learn more paired with witches of your own element.” She shook her head. “I don’t care. I want Theo.” “It’s okay with me,” Theo answered.

Thomas nodded. “It’s settled, then. You two can work out the living arrangements. Even though it would be safer for Sarafina to be close to a more experienced witch at all times, if you decide not to stay at Theo’s, Sarafina, we’ve got apartments free within the Coven.” Theo answered, “She stays with me.”

Adam raised his eyebrows across the room and Theo shot him another quelling look.

Sarafina shrugged. “I guess my decision has been made for me.” “I can’t protect you when you’re in a different apartment.” Thomas nodded. “I agree. We don’t know if Bai will come back or not.” He paused. “You’re in danger, Sarafina.” She gave him a sad smile. “It’s okay. I have some practice at that.” Theo was certain she was referring to her mother. What hell had the early years of her life been? They’d probably been a lot like his.

“I HOPE THIS IS OKAY WITH YOU.” SARAFINA STUDIED Theo’s back while he stood in the kitchen, stirring a charm in a saucepan. “I mean, that I wanted you for a bodyguard or teacher or whatever you are.” No response.

“I mean, it’s not that I have designs on your body or anything.” Her gaze slipped to his ass. Much.

His shoulders tightened a degree. “Now that’s a pity.” She grinned and stabbed at a bit of random herb on the table with the pad of her index finger. “Did I detect a note of amusement in your voice? Could it be? Has hell frozen over and have pigs grown wings?” He grunted and continued to stir his pot.

“Anyway, I’m sorry if I pushed you into doing something you don’t want.” Theo replied without turning. “Do you really think I’d do something I didn’t want?” More silence.

Well, I guess that was as much of an answer as she was going to get.

“So you don’t mind the living arrangements?” “You must stay with me. Bai might try and come after you again and it would be better if I were close. Wards don’t work on demons. Not even the kick-ass ones surrounding the Coven. Not much works on demons.” “So you won’t mind the pink panties hanging over the towel rod in the bathroom?” That made him turn. “There’s going to be pink panties hanging over the towel rod in the bathroom?” She grinned. “Actually, I wear thongs. They take up less space.” Theo’s grip tightened a degree on the wooden spoon he held.

“I’m joking, Theo, relax. Grosset won’t bother you?” Theo diverted his gaze from her face to the dog in question, who sat on the floor near his feeding dish, panting. “No, but I guess we need to buy some Alpo. He can’t live on SPAM.” “I’ll take care of that tomorrow. I have to run back to my place to pack a bag and run by the office to finalize paperwork for my leave of absence.” Her vacation had turned into unpaid leave. It was the worst time ever for her to go unpaid, considering her financial problems. Luckily the Coven was helping her make rent and pay her bills. She’d gladly taken the money, though pride dictated she pay them back when she could.

“You’re not going alone.”

“I should be fine.”

“No way.”

“I don’t want to trouble you, Theo.” “You’re not troubling me. I’ll just be doing my job. That job is you.” The way he said it, so intensely, so protectively, made her heart miss a beat. She gave him a light smile to cover her reaction. “Wow, so you’ll be doing me. My, what will the neighbors say?” He ignored her comment. “After we return to the Coven tomorrow, we’ll go straight to the training rooms.” “Training rooms?”

Theo nodded. “About a year and a half ago the Coven came into some money via Rue, the leader of the Ytrayi . Thomas and the Coven’s advisors used it to make repairs to the buildings that were needed after we had a major battle with the Atrika . When they made the renovations, they added on training rooms for each of the elements.

She shrugged. “Sounds good to me.”

He turned back to his bubbling brew and flipped off the heat. “Who’s Alex?” She stiffened. “How do you know who Alex is?” “I don’t. That’s why I’m asking you. Your friend mentioned him at your apartment, said she wondered if you’d cheated on Alex.” She studied the tabletop. “He’s my ex. We were together for about two years, but the fire was only a flicker at first and then it went out. We stayed together too long. Mostly out of fear of being alone, I think.” “So you’re not nursing a broken heart on top of everything else?” She swallowed hard, her eyes suddenly pricking with tears. “I am, but my broken heart is for my foster mother, not Alex. I’m still grieving for her.” He set the pot to the side and stared down into it for a long moment. “I’m sorry,” he murmured without turning around. “It’s hard losing your parents.” His mother had taken off when he’d been a teenager, but considering her brutal husband, Theo couldn’t really blame her much.