CHAPTER
19
Luz was quite a spitfire. She resembled her cousin in many ways, but she lacked Naya’s maturity and self-control. Not to mention any sort of a mental filter. Luz flipped the length of her dark curly hair behind one shoulder. Her lips pursed in concentration and she cocked a hip as she studied him. Shorter than Naya by four or five inches, she gave the appearance of a petulant teenager, not a powerful witch who hunted down demons.
“So … Is the size of a vampire’s fangs in direct proportion to the size of his, uh…” She flashed him a mischievous smile. “You know.”
Ronan laughed and Naya cut him a look.
“Luz.” Naya didn’t sound as amused. “Get a grip.”
“What? When am I ever going to get the chance to ask again?”
“We’ve got to get you out of town.” Naya ignored her cousin’s antics in favor of her worry. The smell of it tainted her usually sweet scent and Ronan wrinkled his nose. A wave of anxiety vibrated through him—hers.
“I’m not going anywhere until I find Chelle.” That was only half of it, though. Finding Chelle was definitely a priority, but Ronan wasn’t leaving Crescent City. Not without Naya.
“Ronan.” Naya threw up her hands in frustration. She paced through the sparsely furnished living room while Luz hoisted herself up on the bar countertop that separated the kitchen from the dining area. “Paul put a price on your head. And not just money. Gold.”
“And…?” Ronan didn’t give a fuck-all about the bounty. He’d take on anyone who thought they could kill him.
“Gold is big mojo, bloodsucker.” Luz swung her legs back and forth, making her seem younger. “It’s the only precious metal that can safely hold residual magic.”
“Bororo gold isn’t like regular gold, I take it?”
“Nope.”
Naya shot a glare Luz’s way, but the younger girl seemed not to notice. “For non–magic wielders, it’s like getting one hundred wishes from a genie. Naya and I can conjure up what we need with our own power. We don’t need Paul’s gold or his wishes. But everyone else…”
“Will be more than ready to put a stake through your heart for the opportunity to get their hands on the gold.” Naya’s dark gaze met his and another wave of anxiety caused his chest to tighten.
“You can conjure up anything?” Ronan fixed her with a stern eye and cocked a brow. Apparently his mate had been holding out on him.
“Luz is overexaggerating.”
As though she couldn’t wait for the opportunity to show off, the younger woman closed her eyes and opened her palm. Naya gave a derisive snort as quiet settled on the room. A lavender glow pooled in Luz’s hand. “It’s raw.” She slowly opened her eyes. “But with the right intent and maybe an extra ingredient or two, I can make it do almost anything I want it to.”
“Stop it, Luz,” Naya groused. “You’re an apprentice for a reason, so stop being so cocky.”
The barb bit deep and Luz shot back, “Not for long. You’re being retired, remember?”
They stared each other down for an uncomfortable moment before Naya resumed her pacing. “You can take my car, Ronan. I’ll look for Chelle. You need to get back to L.A. before Paul—”
“I’m not leaving, Naya.” That she expected him to tuck tail and flee grated. “Not until all of my loose ends here are tied up.”
“Paul is sending out hunting parties to take you out, Ronan!”
Her exasperated tone and the sour scent of her fear ignited his temper. “Do you think I’m afraid?” he railed. “Let them come after me!”
He was fucking sick and tired of hiding. The gap in his memory was yet to be filled and he had no idea where to find Chelle. Hell, for all he knew, Naya had killed his sister on the pier last night. Sorrow crested over him. A feeling of helplessness that had no end. The key to finding her was lost with his memory. He had no doubt. And he’d be damned if he’d let a few closed-minded, self-righteous shifters get between him and anyone he held dear.
“Is it me, or did the temperature in here drop by about thirty degrees?” Luz rubbed at her arms and her comment wasn’t simply an attempt at levity.
Power rose to the surface of Ronan’s skin. The magic that attacked him like a parasite thrived on negative emotions.
“Ronan?”
He crossed the room and seized Naya roughly against him, bringing his mouth to hers. She melted in his embrace, her lips soft and warm, yielding to him. Her fingers threaded through his hair, her touch soft and reassuring. The cold that blanketed his skin abated until all that remained was a pleasant glow that left his limbs heavy with content.