Shadow Mated(33)

The blond frowned. “I’m not actually. This conversation would be easier if your… your…” She glanced to his hips, her gaze quickly skittering away. “…manhood wasn’t hanging out.”

He raised his brow. “Oh, I wasn’t talking to you, Sunshine. I was talking to this bobcat shifter I have stuck inside my head. I think you know her as Destiny. She just informed me we’d be having visitors soon. Three of them. Females with magical powers. I just informed her she’s a tad late with that memo.” He drew his shoulders back and thrust his hips forward obnoxiously. “But now that you mention it, I happen to prefer having conversations with my manhood hanging out. It’s my favorite way to have conversations in fact.”

Right. This coming from the male who had to put his jeans on to have a serious conversation with Gash a few nights ago.

“And besides,” Mason continued. “If your lady-balls are big enough to manhandle my animal back into my body, they’re also big enough to say what you need to say in front of a few dicks.”

Gash sauntered over, eye on the blond the entire way, Bailey and Ryan following. The female’s jaw dropped as she and Mason faced off. It was quite a sight with him buck-ass naked and her buttoned up to her chin in a high collar dress.

“Enough,” Magic said, shooting Mason a warning look and facing the female. “Start talking.”

She snapped her mouth shut, dragging her gaze away from Mason. The other two females stood nearby, one with bright crimson hair and the other with pitch black. All dressed similarly in neutral colored clothes.

“My name is Adira The Lightest, and these are my coven-sisters, Mirena The Bravest…” She pointed one hand elegantly to the dark haired female. “…and Nastia The Wisest.” This time to the redhead. “We are Sorcera.” At Magic’s confused look, she continued. “Commoners would call us, um, witches. But we feel that term really has so many negative connotations and doesn’t especially showcase our abilities so we aim to avoid it.”

Magic hooked his hands around his hips, giving Gash a questioning look.

Gash shrugged, crossing his arms and glaring at the female.

“Who sent you?” he growled, capturing her attention. She seemed relieved that he was dressed. “Alley Cats? Junkyard Dogs?”

“Who?” She shook her head, unfamiliar with those names.

“Felix? Or maybe Rigor?”

“Destiny,” Mason said. “She claims she was sent by Destiny. And if the loud voice in my head is any indication, she’s telling the truth.”

“He’s the one,” Nastia murmured, staring at Gash oddly. “I recognize the darkness clinging to him. Like a… shadow.”

Adira glanced at her sister, then at Gash, her eyes narrowing as they combed over him. A chill ran the length of his spine at her shrewd look. “You sure?”

Nastia nodded.

Gash opened his mouth to demand answers, but then Adira gave him a kind smile before twisting her gaze away to focus on Bailey. He pulled his mate close just in case the witches tried any witchy stuff on her.

“No one will hurt you. Either of you.” She turned back to Gash. “You will be safe in your new home, away from the darkness which you are trying to escape. We shall see to it.”

His brow furrowed, trying to follow the female’s logic but not having any luck.

“Look,” Magic said. “I don’t care who you are or what the hell they call you. Frankly, I don’t even care who sent you. What I want to know is what the fuck you did to our animals.”

Adira pressed her lips together.

Mirena, the dark haired witch, spoke up. “Do all of you use such crude language?”

“Yes,” Eagan snapped.

“Fuck yes,” Layna added.

Theron raised his hand in the air. “I second Layna’s fuck yes.”

Thames rolled his eyes and Owyn brushed a hand through his hair. But Renner, Magic, and Mason stared at the witches like they were mortal enemies.

Gash shook his head. What was he missing here?

“Your animals will be fine,” Adira assured. “With time. The spell we cast to force you back to human was only a temporary one, to get your attention.”

Whoa. The witches had turned them all human? Disabled their animals? How the hell was that possible?

Magic scoffed. “What, you couldn’t have just come out and said what you were and why you were here?”

Adira crossed her arms. “You weren’t exactly prepared to listen were you? It seemed to me, you were more concerned about making us leave.”

“Seemed that way to me too,” Nastia added.

Mirena nodded. “Agreed.”