Chapter 11
MONIQUE
When Michael explained what he’d done in my ‘love-potion absence’, I wanted to throttle him. Giving his father more wolf shifter blood, and more dark magic power, wasn’t a good idea. In fact, it was the worst idea of all. But I didn’t want anyone to die either, so I was giving Michael the benefit of the doubt for the moment.
He may have drugged me, but he hadn’t taken advantage of my body. And he’d looked truly sickened by his father’s cruel mentality.
“So, what’s our first move?” I asked him as I dressed in warmer gear. “We’re going out soon, right?”
The sun was setting and if we were going to look for a break in the veil, it was a lot safer for us to go in the dark.
“Yes.” Michael agreed, magicking up some lanterns. “My father doesn’t leave his house at night, so we have a chance of scouting the perimeter.”
He handed me one of the lanterns, then clicked his fingers and lit them both. He was still wearing just a flimsy shirt, and I knew the temperature outside had dropped. I was pretty sure the high warlock did that every night on purpose to deter people from leaving their homes.
“Here,” I said, moving my hand across his body and dressing him in a long, woolen-lined black coat with a thick collar to keep his back and neck warm.
To be honest, he looked kind of sexy. I swallowed down those thoughts. It wasn’t the right time for that, but damn, he was one hot guy!
His gaze softened as he said, “Thanks.” Despite the stress of the day, tiny cocoons of warmth began to wriggle in my belly.
“Do you know how we’re going to find a hole in the veil?” I asked him, my breath catching in my throat at the unexpected shot of attraction.
Michael nodded as he strode to the door. “Yes. I know a spell that I think will work.”
“And if it doesn’t?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Then we run our hands along every inch of that damn veil, every nook and cranny, until we can feel a gap in the fabric.”
I didn’t know how that was going to work considering how much of the veil was above our heads, and therefore out of reach. Not to mention how much was below our feet. But, since I didn’t have a better idea, I just followed him out the door with my lantern, and magicked up a beanie when the wind whipped around my face.
“Brrr... I think he turned up the cold,” I said. “He’s really amping things up all round, isn’t he?”
Michael didn’t answer, but he nodded and there were angry slashes of red over his cheeks. For the first time I wondered how it must feel for him to know his dad was insane. I was sure it would hurt. “Let’s go,” he said simply and led the way back to the veil curtain.
When we got there, Michael put his hand out to try and open it once more. Neither of us expected anything, but suddenly, he froze.