Chaos Burning Read Online Free PDF Page A

sweater with a bedazzled line proclaiming FIERCE in glittery letters and jeans so holey she also wore tights beneath only made him like her more, even if he mentally shook his head at her fashion sense. Oh, and the blue-streaked hair currently in a messy knot. She was a dozen crayons half melted in the sun.
    Gage nodded once he caught sight of Simon’s face. “Yeah, crazy huh? The bullets are specially made and enchanted.”
    “Really? Enchanted to be more accurate?”
    She ejected the clip in one easy movement and popped another into the weapon seamlessly and began to shoot the target again.
    Gage laughed. “No. That’s all her. The enchantment has spellwork etched into the metal casing. It’s almost like avirus, breaking down the walls around stolen magick so the turned mage can’t hold it.”
    “No shit? That’s pretty fancy.” And brilliant.
    She turned when she’d finished. He wasn’t surprised that her eye protection was purple.
    “Hey you.” She tipped her chin at him.
    “Gage was just telling me about the bullets. Can I see them?”
    “I wasn’t using those for target practice.” She moved away from the station and took her gear out to the main area before rustling through and grabbing a box, handing it his way.
    He slid the lid back.
    “They’re harmless to hold. At least to you. Your magick is natural. Like mine and any other witch. Those who aren’t stuck or turned anyway. It only works on magick that’s foreign to the person holding it.”
    “Damn, you’re pretty smart for a chick with blue hair.”
    She beamed. “I happen to like blue. Just seemed to me that while we can’t always get a spell close enough to impact, if I can shoot this into someone and it unravels their magic, it would be a great way to debilitate a turned witch or mage.”
    Gage examined the bullet he held and looked back to Simon. “We’re going to start making them next week. Lark will teach me how. Arel is here too. He’ll be taking that knowledge back East with him.”
    Arel was the hunter for the Rodas Clan of witches and he’d proven himself a valuable ally against this new tide of humans and mages out to steal witches’ magick, even if it meant harming them to do it.
    Simon respected the man’s strength and intelligence. He was a big part of this new push to deal with the turned witches and mages. Which was important, as there were far fewer clans on the east coast so support from the biggest was integral. And all because Meriel had sought out info from other witches across the country.
    “You should come to the club for a drink tonight.” Simon looked back and forth between Gage and Lark.
    “I’ve got some meetings later on. But I’ll be free after nine. Thanks for asking. Dominic says the club isn’t too very farfrom the apartment so I’ll walk.” Lark put her weapon away carefully. “I’ve got to run now. I’m meeting your archive folks in half an hour. I hear the Kelly sisters like lemon bars so I’ve got some set aside for them.”
    “They’re sort of scary. Just be forewarned.” Gage grabbed his stuff as well. “You here for some target practice?” he asked Simon.
    “Yes. Dominic said you were here and I thought I’d come shoot with you.”
    “All right then.”
    Gage hugged Lark. “See you later?”
    “Yep.” She waved to them both and headed out.
    “So what do you think of her?” Gage asked Simon as they headed back to the shooting lanes.
    Simon paused a moment, trying to decide if Gage meant professionally or if his friend had a thing for their blue-haired friend. He decided to answer the former.
    “Spent a few hours with her night before last at my place. She’s sharp. Vicious. Odd. Direct. I like all those things. I think she’s got a great plan for her witches down south and Owen will benefit from that.”
    “They’ve got more freedom to expand their hunter team. Got a head start on us even though they haven’t seen the same sort of issue with the mages. Yet anyway.