Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"What? Why?" I said, more than a little bewildered by his vehement comment, and I had to strain to keep myself from looking at him.

"Because it's too dangerous for her," Vance replied, as if this statement should've been perfectly obvious to me. "We can't afford for her, or anyone else, to be dragged in as added ammunition for Damien."

I realized I'd misjudged him. "But what if the others can help us?" I asked, wanting to hang onto this thread of hope.

"It's too risky. You wouldn't be able to live with yourself if someone else got hurt."

On this point he was right and I couldn't argue. I chose not to reply at all, instead keeping my eyes focused out the window, watching the city lights pass by.

Still, the thought of my mother, my grandmother, and perhaps even Hex, along with Brad and Shelly, being out there looking for us made my heart yearn with a longing I almost couldn't stand. Their presence spoke of family, home, and support, something I'd gone without for a lengthy amount of time, and I desired to have the stability of it in my life once again.

Vance squeezed my hand tighter, tracing his thumb across the back of it. "I'm sorry my choices have made things so difficult for you," he said softly into my head.

"You were only doing what you felt was right. And regardless of everything that has happened between us, I will never stop loving you."

He surprised me then, turning in his seat toward me. Gently, he cradled my face, and he leaned in and kissed me long and hard. I melted into him.

"Thank you for that, Portia," he said into my mind, not caring Damien was now watching us with avid interest. "I love you too, more than you will ever know." Leaning his forehead against mine, he released a soft sigh as his hand trailed down past my neck and over my arm. He sat back against his seat, lacing his fingers through mine and giving me another small smile before looking away.

He met Damien's stare with smug self-assurance head on.

"Did I miss something?" Damien questioned, his eyes flitting between the two of us.

"Obviously," Vance said shortly.

"Care to enlighten me?"

"Nothing to enlighten," Vance replied. "Sometimes a man just feels the need to really kiss his wife." He shrugged as if it were no big deal.

Damien squinted at us for a moment, and I worried we'd been to forward and perhaps alerted him to our connection, but he suddenly shifted to an entirely different subject.

"When we arrive at the party in a few minutes I want you to come in and mingle with the guests for a little while. There will be several people who know me and will be anxious to meet you as well. Do try to appear charming please. This is a heist after all. We don't want to draw undo attention to ourselves."

He gave us both a disapproving look.

"Once we acquire the artifact, it's to be given to you, Portia. You'll evaporate with the object back to the hotel and place it in the safe. Then you will immediately pop back here before you can be missed. The alarm will be sounded while we are still in attendance. Everyone will be detained, and searched in proper order, as well as the grounds and the vehicles. There'll be no trace of the torches, and thus it'll exonerate all of us from being suspects when we're found clean, and it'll not look suspicious that we left the party early."

"Okay," Vance said seriously. "We've covered the before and after. What about the in between? It would help if we actually knew how we were getting the artifact."