Chapter 11
“Never let the grass grow under our feet!” Sorcia said brightly, but her words gave her pause. Something about them stirred an odd feeling in her chest, though she couldn’t pinpoint why. Shaking it off, she forced her focus back to the present. “But there’s another question I need to answer.”
“We need to answer,” Marcus corrected smoothly, lifting his hand to call the waitress. She caught his signal, and Marcus raised his nearly empty glass, requesting another beer.
Sorcia sipped her ice water, trying to calm the pounding in her chest. Marcus’s quiet assertion of their teamwork was unsettling in its intensity.
She loved leading her coven, loved the sense of purpose and camaraderie it gave her.
But Marcus had a way of making her feel like she wasn’t alone in bearing the weight of her responsibilities—like he’d step in at any moment to catch her if she faltered.
The thought made her mouth dry, so she took another sip of water and glanced down at her plate. The fish and chips had been a solid choice—crispy fries, perfectly battered fish—but Marcus’s burger looked so good.
And then he offered her a bite.
“Go ahead,” he said, slicing the burger in half and holding it out to her.
Sorcia hesitated. It shouldn’t feel intimate. It was just food. But as she leaned in and took the bite, her cheeks warmed, the closeness of the gesture striking a nerve she hadn’t expected.
“Good?” Marcus asked, watching her reaction.
She nodded, swallowing. “Delicious. But don’t let it go to your head.”
He smirked, then leaned back slightly, his gaze holding hers. “Another thing, you don’t have to be self-conscious about last night, Sorcia. It’s normal. Releasing that much passion after holding it in for so long—it’s not a bad thing.”
Her stomach flipped, and her eyes narrowed. “Why would you assume I’ve been holding anything in?” she asked, defensively reaching for her water.
Marcus grinned, his trademark confidence infuriatingly intact.
“Because you wouldn’t have reacted that way with anyone else,” he replied, his voice low and deliberate.
He winked, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief.
“You’ve never accepted second best in your life, and you’re not about to start now. ”
Her face flushed even hotter, and she turned her attention to her fries, stabbing one a little more forcefully than necessary. “You’re awfully sure of yourself,” she muttered.
“Just observant,” he countered, taking a bite of his burger, his grin never wavering.
Sorcia huffed, stabbing another fry. She wasn’t sure what annoyed her more: how easily he got under her skin, or how much she still liked it.
“Exactly,” Marcus agreed, spinning his glass of beer in slow, deliberate circles on the table. The motion was repetitive enough to make her want to slap his hand away, but she resisted, pretending to ignore him as she looked out the window.
“The grid I assigned myself is near the wharf,” she said, forcing her focus back to the conversation. “Jace, my shifter friend, controls the area, and I know his pack will help. But I don’t think there’s much they can do in this situation.”
“Shifters can’t sniff out demons?” Marcus asked, his tone casual but tinged with skepticism.
Her eyes snapped back to him, narrowing. “Don’t dismiss my friends,” she warned, her voice dropping to a low, menacing tone. “Shifters are powerful creatures. Jace leads one of the strongest packs in North America.”
Marcus raised his hands, palms out in mock surrender.
“I didn’t mean to sound dismissive, Sorcia.
I have shifter friends too. We just don’t all live in the same territory like you do with Jace and Viktor.
” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his interest genuine now.
“Is it difficult? Living with shifters and vampires in the same turf?”
“Not at all,” she said, taking another sip of beer. “It’s actually really nice. Even as all of these issues started happening, the three of us worked together seamlessly. We helped each other whenever there were problems. It’s a good setup.”
Marcus tilted his head, an eyebrow quirking. “Except that, traditionally, witches, vampires, and shifters are enemies.”
She shrugged, unbothered. “If the rest of the world lets their prejudices rule them, that’s their problem. Jace loves living in the city. His pack members are fierce protectors of the shipping industry along the entire East Coast.”
“And none of your witches are interested in shipping?” Marcus asked, his lips twitching with amusement.
“Not even a little,” she replied with a smirk. “We’ve taken over the real estate industry in the same area. When Jace’s pack members need real estate, they come to me. We find them the perfect land, home, or warehouse—whatever they need—at below market value and without commission.”
“And in return?”
“They make sure any supplies we need from overseas are shipped quickly and get unloading priority. That lets my renovation divisions buy up old homes or buildings and renovate them in half the time. Because we get supplies for less, we make a larger profit. Everyone in my coven and Jace’s pack sends a portion of our profits to Viktor’s clan. ”
Marcus arched an eyebrow. “And Viktor?”
“He invests it,” she explained, waving a hand like it was the most natural arrangement in the world. “And he’s brilliant. We get a significant return. It’s a win-win-win.”
“Sounds too good to be true,” Marcus said skeptically, though his tone was light.
Sorcia shrugged again. “There’s no reason why we can’t all get along. Just because witches, vampires, and shifters have fought for territory for centuries doesn’t mean we need to keep doing it.”
Marcus chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “You make it sound so simple. Like selling shifters houses with reinforced doors for their transformations, or vampires places with blackout windows so they can sleep, is just another Tuesday.”
She grinned, biting back a laugh. “You wouldn’t believe some of the requests I’ve gotten. Jace’s beta once demanded a backyard big enough for a full pack hunt but close to a coffee shop. And Viktor’s second-in-command insisted on a condo with a climate-controlled wine cellar. A vampire. Wine.”
Marcus laughed, the sound deep and warm. “You should write a book about that. Witch Realtor to the Stars.”
“I’ll put it on my to-do list,” she quipped, rolling her eyes but smiling anyway.
“That’s a good idea,” Marcus said, his tone thoughtful. “But seriously, the cooperation between the three usually warring groups has been discovered by someone else. And I think the demon we’re trying to find has been behind all the other issues lately.”
“You might be right,” Sorcia replied, nodding as she speared a piece of golden-battered fish with her fork. “However, I won’t know that until we find this creep.”
Sorcia savored the flaky fish, the batter crisp and light, while Marcus devoured his juicy burger. The fries on her plate were perfectly seasoned, and she alternated bites between them and the tangy tartar sauce that added a zing to the meal.
They discussed strategy between bites. During the day, they could drive to various areas, then get out and walk, trying to feel for the demon’s anger.
At night, they would take to the skies and fly over the city, a much faster and more efficient way to cover ground.
The dark cover of night would ensure they remained unseen by humans, avoiding unnecessary panic and awkward questions.
As Marcus sipped his beer, Sorcia’s attention shifted to the waitress.
The young woman was carrying a tray overloaded with drinks and baskets of food.
Sorcia’s green eyes narrowed slightly as she watched the waitress ascend a small set of stairs, her right foot just missing the last step.
The tray wobbled precariously as her balance faltered.
Sorcia reacted instinctively, her hand lifting as she murmured a soft spell under her breath. The tray steadied in the air, its contents miraculously unharmed. Marcus, noticing the situation, turned his head and flicked his fingers, reinforcing the spell to keep everything balanced.
The waitress gasped, her face pale as she regained her footing. She glanced at the tray, relief washing over her features as she realized nothing had spilled. Flicking her hair back, she gave herself a moment to recover before continuing to deliver the order.
“Good work,” Marcus murmured, his deep voice tinged with approval.
“Thanks for the assist,” Sorcia replied, a flicker of pride warming her tone.
Saving the waitress might have been a minor feat, but it felt good. Moments like these reminded Sorcia why she used her powers—to help others. She knew Marcus shared that philosophy.
“How’s your office coming along?” she asked, steering the conversation in a lighter direction and thinking of the building he was renovating behind hers.
“Good,” Marcus replied, lifting his hand to signal the waitress for the check. “I won’t need it for long, but it will suffice for as long as I’m here.”
The casual comment sent a pang through Sorcia’s chest, sharp and unexpected. Of course, Marcus wouldn’t stay in Baltimore permanently. He wasn’t here because of her—he was here because of the tremors in the sphaera. His presence was a necessity, not a choice.
The realization weighed heavily on her, casting a shadow over the brief connection they had shared. She took another bite of her fish, trying to focus on the food instead of the ache tightening in her chest.
That was fine, she told herself firmly. She didn’t want to be with a man who would betray her, and Marcus’s supposed betrayal was the reason they’d broken up two years ago. His priorities were clear, and they didn’t include her.
Sorcia kept that in mind as she pushed her plate away, though the thought did little to ease the growing knot of conflicting emotions swirling within her.