"What if I give it to you willingly? Before, I was resisting. Let's see what happens when I hand it over."
A new smile spreads, one of intrigue and excitement.
"Okay."
He walks over and pulls my hand in his. I feel a stir, but there's still no sexual draw. He leans over and pulls my hand to his lips, kissing the back of it, and a shiver follows. Still, there's nothing really tugging at me to do anything.
In a breath, his aura reads red - the vibrant red of an incubus. He's letting me see his magic in his aura. That's shocking.
"Did it work?" I ask curiously.
He grips the counter, struggling to find composure, and I'm starting to worry I've hurt him.
"It worked. Damn did it work. I don't know if I've ever tasted so much power course through me at once."
I smile and then poke my finger to draw blood. "Now make the potion."
He looks at me curiously while bringing my pricked finger over a glass vial. He presses the tip of my finger to the edge to let the blood slowly drip.
"That kiss should have been your undoing. You gave me what I needed, but you still denied my power over you. I wonder if you could do that to others... such as night stalkers."
"You saw what Isolis was doing to me. I couldn't use my power, so I have no ability to hold them out."
"That you know of," he says as if he's finishing my sentence that I thought was complete. "Your whole life you've been warned of a night stalker's influence over you. My kind rarely messes with witches simply because we fear the wrath. You were most likely never warned about me, so you never thought I had any power over you. I bet you're the only thing holding you back. You should study that further."
He pours in the lavender extract and then pulls the coffee beans in his hands. A small crunch in his fist turns the beans into ground powder. I watch as he mixes in the orange juice, and then a bubbling steam comes from the vial.
"What's going on?"
He smiles as he places the vial in the center of the bar, and then he leans back, seeming pleased.
"It's working."
Dray's the first one out of his first-floor bedroom. Rubbing his head as though it aches, he takes in the scene. Isolis is still collapsed on the floor, his endless flow of blood still pouring out of his gaping, charred wounds.
Before he can ask the question on the tip of his tongue, Gage materializes in the room, kneeling before the dead night stalker. Kane follows quickly with Zee on his heels.
"What the hell?" Kane gripes.
"Isolis broke in, a dreamer knocked you guys out, and then they both died, thanks to Dice."
Dice looks at me, his eyes questioning why I just held out on the whole truth.
"Yeah," he says uneasily before turning to meet the scrutinizing eyes of the guys.
"How the hell did any of them get in? And since when is an incubus strong enough to take down a night stalker as old as Isolis?" Gage grumbles, quickly coming to my side at the exact same time as Kane.
They both start inspecting me, searching for damage, but I shrug them off.
"I'm fine," I grouse while heading over to stand beside Dray. "They got in using this," I continue, holding out the black stone.
I intentionally ignored the latter question. I don't feel like telling themIkilled Isolis. Too many questions will arise. Dray and Gage know where I come from, but they don't know the strength I truly hold.
"Shit," Dray growls as he stares at the stone.
"What? You know what it is?"
He looks at me, his face too serious. "Yes. I'm surprised you don't. These are Crescent stones. Not like the shape, but like the old coven. The first coven ever to form was the Crescent. They were light, but they had a tainted edge. They were killed by the council when they committed treason. Do you know what that treason was?"
