Лори Девоти - Unbound

The garm chuckled. “Yes, be a good little witch and listen to your sister who got herself caught in the first place.”

Kelly turned, her gaze slicing. “Stay out of this. I’ll settle with you later.”

The garm grinned. “I can hardly wait.”

The sisters stood toe to toe, neither giving an inch.

Risk shook his head and stepped around them to talk with the garm. “Did Sigurd keep his word?”

The garm shrugged. “He hasn’t been back here.”

Risk nodded. Unsure what to say next, his gaze returned to the sisters. They still stood in the same confrontational stance.

“How long you think they’ll last?” the garm asked.

Risk shrugged. “Who knows.”

“My money’s on the cranky one,” the garm replied, pulling a bottle from under the bar and filling two glasses.

Risk picked up the glass and took a sip. Honey-tinged whiskey burned down his throat. They stood for a few moments watching the twins.

“Your son escaped,” the garm murmured.

Risk turned. “Venge?”

The garm nodded. “Sigurd released him the day you left. Rest of the hounds, too. It’s caused quite a stir in the nine worlds. Aren’t used to hellhounds running around. Could cause trouble.”

Risk nodded, his thoughts on his son. “Hear where he went?”

The garm shook his head. “No.”

Risk nodded again. That was fine. As long as Venge got a chance, it was all Risk could ask for. More than he’d ever had — until now.

Kara stomped forward, her hand wrapped around Kelly’s wrist. “We’re doing it.”

The garm raised a surprised brow and held his glass in mock salute to Risk. “Wonders never cease.”

Risk wove his arm around Kara and pulled her to his side; with her sister glowering beside them, he pressed another kiss to her lips.

No wonders never did cease, and with Kara by his side, he had a feeling they never would.

Kara pulled back and motioned to her twin.

Her brow creased, Kelly stepped forward. “Remember, this wasn’t my—”

“Just do it.” Kara slipped her hand under the heavy chain around Risk’s neck. With a frown, her sister mimicked her actions. Together they folded their hands around the heavy silver then grasped each other’s free hand, forming a closed circle.

Rick stood frozen as the space around him swelled with power. The twins, their eyes shut, concentrated on their job.

The metal at Risk’s neck warmed until he wondered how the sister’s could bare to maintain their grip. Then suddenly the heat along with their hands were gone, but the chain still lay heavy against his throat.

Kara stared up at him. “So?”

“It’s okay. I told you, it doesn’t matter—” he began.

Kara’s sister rolled her eyes. “It’s done. We just left the final act…” She made a pulling motion at her throat with her hands “…to you.”

He glanced back at Kara; her blue eyes smiled up at him. “So, show us.”

His gaze locked on Kara, he wrapped both hands around the ancient metal links, then after expelling the long breath, he pulled. The chain fell from his neck.

He stood there, the symbol of his bondage stretched across his open palms. With a smile he let it coil to the floor.

Kara’s hands wrapped around his forearm. “We did it,” she whispered.

“You did it,” he murmured back.

Her sister bent and plucked the length of chain from the floor. “You think this might be worth something?”

Still staring down at Kara, Risk replied, “You keep it. I have everything I need right here.” Then he scooped Kara into his arms and shimmered out of the bar.