Page 38 of Fractured Mates

Next to him is a warlock, which would be helpful if his eyes didn’t turn nearly black when he sees Kyler behind me. I glance back. “A friend of yours?”

He shakes his head. “Just someone I’ve had a run-in with on a previous job.”

“Right.” This is starting out swimmingly.

There’s a pair of wolf shifters who aren’t paying attention to us any longer and have already gone back to their day drinking.

“We can sit at one of the tables,” I say. “It’s early. Another magic user will come along eventually.”

Kyler stays right on my heels as I walk across the bar. I stop at the back corner, where we can see both the main door we just came through and the hallway that leads to the bathroom—and still keep an eye on the bar.

However long it takes, I’m not leaving this place until we have cloaking spells. Even if the man next to me seems like he’d rather be anywhere else in the world right now.

Chapter Fifteen

Kyler

My job isn’t always easy. Especially when I have to take away someone’s father for doing shit he shouldn’t be, like selling dark objects to good people without telling them of the consequences.

Evander’s father was one of them. I haven’t seen him since the day I hauled his dad off, but there he is at the bar, giving me his back and probably cursing me.

I possibly should have considered letting Sophie come here on her own. Not that I’m afraid of the warlock. My presence just doesn’t seem to be helping at this point.

Though luck seems to be on our side. Evander leaves within the hour, we order lunch and drinks, and we only have to wait two more hours for a group of witches to arrive.

There are three of them, each with different-colored hair, but they all share the same deep-blue eyes with a lighter ring around them. They could be sisters, or they could just share magic a little too much with each other. Either way, I don’t care as long as they help us.

The longer we’re here, the more comfortable Sophie grows, and something tells me this is the last place we should let our guards down, even if the bar is supposed to be a neutral zone for all supernaturals.

“Which one?” she asks, her gaze pointed toward the trio of witches.

“Why do we have to pick one?” I counter. “Can’t we just approach them?”

She rears back, and her eyes widen in disbelief. “And you’re a protector? Honestly, I’m a little surprised you’ve lasted this long.”

I really shouldn’t ask, but I can’t help myself. “Why?”

“That’s a longer answer than we have time for,” she quips. “But as far as the witches are concerned, you should never approach them together. You need to watch them, figure out which one is the weakest link, then wait until she’s vulnerable. Compliment her, tell her she’s the only one who can help you, then get what you want.”

As much as I wish it didn’t, her plan actually has logic. Well, almost. “When you say ‘you,’ are you referring to yourself or me?”

The smirk on her face doesn’t bode well for me. “Depends on which team she’s playing for.”

Putting Sophie’s plan into action, we watch the three witches. There’s a redhead, a blonde, and one with purple hair. The latter is loud and does the most talking, which quickly removes her from the equation.

My first thought is that it’s going to be the blonde that we approach, but a few minutes later, Sophie gets up to head to the bar without saying a damn word to me and goes ahead with her own plan.

I’m tempted to follow, but I stay put as she stops, only a few seats away from the trio.

The blonde has eyes on her, and before Sophie can even order a drink, the witch is on the prowl. Using my wolf hearing, I listen in on the conversation, immediately glad I didn’t join her.

The blonde nods my way. “Your man not capable of buying you a drink himself?”

Sophie’s laugh carries across the bar. “Oh, he’s not mine. Just a friend.”

“A male friend who looks like that and you’re not hooking up?” the blonde muses, a smirk rising on her ruby-red lips. “I was right about you.”

“Under certain circumstances, you just might have been,” Sophie says saucily, “but not today. I’m just here for a drink and good food.”