License to Spell: An Urban Fantasy Novel (Undercover Witch Book 1) by Paige Howland

Author:Paige Howland [Howland, Paige]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-07-13T22:00:00+00:00

15

Earlier, when I’d thought this day couldn’t get any worse, I was wrong. So, so wrong.

Ribbons of dark, foul magic curled around my throat. I couldn’t breathe.

“Ainsley,” Ryerson said. Urgency had replaced the gruffness in his voice. “What’s wrong? Ainsley!”

My own magic rose up, trying to fight down the curse, but it was no match for the dark magic now that it was inside me. Ryerson’s hands were everywhere, trying to find something he could touch, something he could fight. Tiago ran into the room, but neither of them was a mage, and there was nothing either of them could do. Magic wasn’t something you could punch or shoot into submission.

I scrambled away from Ryerson’s searching hands and toppled over the back of the couch, and the magic around my throat eased fractionally. That gave me an idea.

I couldn’t talk, so I gestured wildly at the door.

Ryerson stood frozen, hands clenched, eyes wide. His expression said he desperately wanted to punch something, but there was nothing to punch.

I stumbled into the wall, as far from Ryerson as I could get without throwing myself out the window. From what I remembered, we were three stories up, but if Ryerson didn’t leave soon the window would become a very real possibility.

Thankfully, Tiago caught on. He shoved Ryerson at the door and shouted something I couldn’t hear over the roaring in my ears.

I fell to my hands and knees as my magic tried desperately to shove itself between the cursed magic and me, but it wasn’t strong enough. Black spots swam across my vision.

This was it.

Then, as suddenly as it started, the magic chokehold eased. It loosened slowly and I willed Ryerson to run faster. Finally, after what felt like an eternity but was probably no more than a few seconds, the magic roared and then snapped, choosing to stay with Ryerson over killing me.

I face-planted on the carpet and sucked in great, wheezy breaths. Tiago knelt next to me, his hand on my back. He was talking, but it was another minute before the ringing in my ears had faded enough that I could hear him.

I rolled onto my back and blinked up at him. His eyes were wide and his gun was in his hand and trained on the floor.

“What the hell was that?” he said.

“Magic,” I rasped.

“No shit. What kind of magic?”

I sat up. My whole body ached. I wondered what was more to blame: the curse, the workout, or the running for my life thing. “Love curse.”

“A love spell just tried to kill you?”

“Love curse.” I rolled to my feet, swaying. Tiago wrapped a long arm around my waist and helped me into the bedroom I’d claimed. I collapsed onto the bed and relaxed into the cool sheets.

“Tell Ryerson he can come back now,” I said sleepily.

Tiago looked dubious. “If he comes back and you die, corporate will be pissed.”

Gee, I’d miss you too, I thought grumpily. A smile pulled at Tiago’s lips and I realized I had said that out loud.

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