Free Assassin's Kiss by Sharon Kay Page B

where Scorpio was. At least he wasn’t hovering. Then again, his skills would be better utilized if he was farther out, roaming the trees ringing the single rowan.
    Tessa crept to a new spot several feet away, pushing away thoughts of the demon. She repeated the spell and unearthed another cache of crystals. “This is awesome,” she murmured to herself.
    A gust of wind rattled the boughs of the poplar trees that stood beyond the rowan. She’d always thought of them like sentries. Tall and more slender than their neighbors, with leaves that made music in the breeze. The curious chirping song of a mockingbird carried beneath the shimmering noise of the greenery.
    Pretty, but…trepidation slithered up her spine as the bird’s song abruptly ceased. Some covens had lots of animal familiars. Unfortunately, that wasn’t a skill any of the Bronwy witches had and, right now, Tessa wished fervently that it was. She wished Jinx had a use beyond catching mice and snuggling.
    But now you have Scorpio. She froze, hating the thought that stole into her mind. Scorpio wasn’t hers. And he wasn’t an animal to be used. But he had innate sensory skills and seemed to have no problem using them to help the coven. She glanced around for him.
    She was met with trees and Bronwy’s own guards. No demon. That was good, right? He was probably just beyond sight range, checking all around them.
    A movement to her left snapped her attention around. Scorpio bounded toward the rowan, moving so fast she couldn’t believe he wasn’t making more noise. Samuel and Fenrick closed in around Tessa and Zeebi with hands on their weapons, an instinctive reaction to a demonic predator.
    “Five mages.” Scorpio stopped in front of her and the guards. “Quarter mile away. North. Some have bows, some have daggers.”
    And unspoken was the knowledge of who-knows-what kind dark magic they’d use.
    Samuel grinned. “They don’t know we’re here.”
    Fenrick’s jaw hardened into a line. “Let’s go kick some Vespera ass. You, demon. Stay with the girls.”
    “Fen, wait,” Tessa said. “You don’t know what they can do.”
    “We have blades that will strike true, thanks to you. We also have the element of surprise.”
    Because of Scorpio. She couldn’t help it and paused a split second, waiting to see if he’d acknowledge their prisoner. “Thanks to Scorpio.” She arched a brow.
    Fenrick grunted and moved off, with Samuel behind him. They signaled to the other two guards and all four slipped into the thick brush beyond the poplars.
    “Thank you.” The deep baritone of Scorpio’s voice smoked over her skin. “You didn’t have to say that.”
    Tessa shook a clump of dirt off her trowel. “Yeah, well, you could have balked at this whole thing and you didn’t.”
    “I don’t go back on my word.”
    She refused to look up at him, not wanting to see the gaze that had to go along with his tone. Instead, she folded the canvas around her crystals and shoved the bundle into her backpack. She glanced at Zeebi, who was doing the same.
    “I heard,” her friend said.
    Unsaid was the need to be ready to go, to run, if their guards didn’t return. Or if Vespera’s men came out flinging dark witchfire. She swallowed hard, knowing if that happened, it would mean her own friends, the guards, would have died.
    “I can feel your worry.” Scorpio’s voice was softer, without the lethal edge of a minute ago.
    She bit her lip, daring a glance at his face. “Vespera gets darker with every encounter.”
    “I can help. I can eliminate the threat.” Pensive amber eyes radiated the strength of a warrior. “Release me.”
    His words chilled her. His skills had never been in question. It was the motivation behind them. The total lack of emotion it had to take to live the life of a mercenary. It was beyond her understanding. Even if he was now offering those same lethal skills to help her and her friends.
    It didn’t seem right to condemn him for killing in