Page 94 of Blood Bond (Dark Witch Chronicles 2)

Felix shakes his head. “Okay. That’s proof,” he says. “But this is still all so damn crazy.”

“It is,” Deissy says softly. “But they need our help.”

He turns to Paloma. “And you’re in on all this, Captain? As a human?”

“I married into it,” she says as she glances over at her husband, who looks less than thrilled about all of this. But since he belongs to Willa’s pack and she is one who was taken, he’s holding his tongue.

Though, according to Paloma when she first arrived, he’d had to damn near tie Z up to keep him from storming the building and retrieving his alpha himself.

“Okay. So we go into the building, rescue a bunch of supernaturals, and get out before this psychotic kill-first council finds us.”

“Yes. Preferably before all four of them discover you. If they do—”

“We’re dead,” he finishes. “Yeah, I got that part.”

“We know it’s a lot,” Eira says softly. “So if you don’t want to do it—”

“No. Deissy is hell-bent on going in there, and there’s no way in hell she’s going in alone.” He straightens and crosses both arms.

Fearghas reaches behind him and grabs a couple of boxes of ammunition. “You’re going to need these.”

“I have bullets.”

“Not like these, you don’t,” Paloma says as she releases her husband’s hand, stands, and pulls out her weapon. “These are supernatural stoppers. Rainey Astor’s specialty. They’re packed with silver flakes.” She drops the magazine and begins popping her bullets out.

“Silver.”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t that only stop werewolves?” he asks as he lifts a box.

Paloma’s husband nearly chokes on the Coke he’s drinking.

“Silver is a weakness for nearly every supernatural,” I explain. “It will prevent vampires from being able to heal and will prevent witches from using their magic. Trust me, you want these going in. And yes, it does work on werewolves—or shifters—as well.”

He begins popping rounds out of his magazine. “I think it’s safe to say this is not how I expected my afternoon to go.”

“Thank you for coming.”

The look he gives his fiancé is one of complete affection. “I’d do anything for you.”

I glance back at Mags, surprised to see her watching me. The moment our gazes meet, though, she looks away.

“You’re probably going to need these, too,” Fearghas offers them two silencers, and Paloma eyes them warily.

“I’m assuming these were not obtained legally.”

“You’d be assuming correctly.” The fae flashes a smile. “But the way I see it, nothing you’re about to do is above book, Captain.”

She chuckles and accepts the silencer, then hands the other to Felix. “Fair point.”

Eira folds up her hand-drawn map and offers it to Paloma. “Remember, if you keep to the back hallways, you shouldn’t run into anyone if they’re truly in deliberation. These halls are specifically for the council members to get to and from the cells.”

“And if anyone does see us?” Deissy questions.

“Don’t let them,” I tell her. “Because if they do, chances are you’re already dead.”

The heavy weight of what is to come settles around all of us. As does the fact that the fate of all those we hold dear rests on the shoulders of three humans.