Wicked Magic Read Free Page B

other items.
    Jake Macgregor, the PSF Captain, had inherited the apartment building, which was in the Haight-Ashbury district, and had opened up the common room just today. The witches and D’Danann had used a combination of magic and muscle to set the room to rights in record time. With all the additional D’Danann warriors on the way from Otherworld, plus the warriors, officers, and witches already stationed in the building, they needed the space.
    â€œ Much better,” Rhiannon said to Sydney. Spirit, Rhiannon’s cocoa-colored cat, jumped onto a nearby couch. Her familiar gave a loud meow, perhaps agreeing, perhaps not.
    â€œJust a few things to take care of.” Sydney leaned one hip against the table and adjusted her chic glasses. “Hopefully we’ll be done before the new bunch of warriors arrive.”
    Sydney had gorgeous raven hair and violet eyes that were only partially hidden by her glasses. She was the CEO of an advertising agency on Market Street in downtown San Francisco and usually wore fitted suits. Today was Saturday and she still managed to look great, dusty or no, in a pair of designer jeans and a lilac polo shirt.
    Next to her, Rhiannon felt frumpy in her snug purple jeans and her bright yellow “I heart San Francisco” T-shirt. It had been a little warm today, the sun out from behind the fog, and her skin was a bit red from having been in the sunshine. She was so fair that the slightest exposure to sun went a long way.
    She wiped her palms on her jeans and gave a big sigh. So much done, so much more work to do. Other rooms needed attention, and she was certain they weren’t going to get it all done before the additional D’Danann Enforcers arrived. There was no way they’d be able to use the kitchen of Enchantments, the metaphysical shop they owned that was next door, as a meeting place any longer. They’d been pushing it as it was.
    Sydney’s Doberman familiar, Chaos, bounded into the
room, headed straight for Sydney. The moment he reached her, he jumped up and planted his front paws on Sydney’s belly, leaving two dirty prints on her shirt. She laughed and rubbed the big lug behind his ears.
    Spirit hissed, laid back his own ears, and arched his back. “Oh, get over it.” Rhiannon shushed the cat, who had never taken to the Doberman. Much like he wasn’t crazy about Janis Arrowsmith’s mouse familiar, Mortimer. Rhiannon had been concerned more than once that Spirit would forget the “familiars don’t eat familiars” rule when it came to Mortimer.
    Chaos was harmless—but unfortunately lived up to his name. Well, he was harmless unless his mistress was threatened in any way.
    A cheer rose up as Cassia strode in with trays of food followed by Copper and Silver, who were laden with platters as well.
    The Doberman loped toward the witches carrying the food. Sydney groaned. “Pain-in-the-ass familiar,” she said as she went after him, leaving Rhiannon alone.
    Rhiannon grinned as Tiernan, one of the D’Danann, took the tray Copper was carrying despite her insistence that she could do it herself. He was having the hardest time getting her to take it easy and stay off her ankle cast. The copperhaired witch had broken her ankle in Otherworld when she went to battle to keep a door to Underworld closed.
    Tiernan ignored Copper’s protests and carried the platter to the table that Sydney and Rhiannon had just moved.
    Copper hobbled after him, her long braid slipping over her shoulder. “Dammit, Tiernan. I was doing just fine.” After he set the tray down he kissed her soundly and Copper melted into him.
    A twinge of envy gripped Rhiannon before she brushed it aside.
    Nothing lasted forever. People left. They left all the time. Her birth parents had abandoned her on Aunt Aga’s doorstep when she was only two. Growing up, she had learned almost nothing about them, let alone how she had inherited