Intoxicating Magic Read Online Free PDF Page A

close to was dying. And what he described meant they were all too weak to be turned.
    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Harrison and his team.”
    Phoebe let out a curse.
    My heart ached. Harrison. He’d been my bodyguard and had turned into a friend of sorts. The thought of losing him left me gutted, not just for myself but for David as well.
    I leaned forward. “The healers haven’t been able to help at all?”
    He shook his head. “Not permanently. The three we’ve had over had short-lived successes, but Harrison and the others aren’t getting better. We need to find out what was used in that poison to create something to reverse the effects.”
    We all fell silent. If I had a sample, I might be able to work out the ingredients, but not an antidote. That was out of my wheelhouse. They’d need a skilled healer for that. I blew out a breath and asked David, “What else have you learned about Victoria?”
    “We’ve been observing for four days, and so far the only thing we know is that her spell works on everyone except vampires. Even animals.” He stared pointedly at Link.
    Phoebe’s head snapped up. “Wait. Vampires don’t have magic. How could Victoria cast it?”
    “The spell was cast by the emcee. He’s fae,” I said. “A rare shifter who can shift into any living being. Or in this case, undead being. He had to have put the spell on the club.”
    “A shifting fae?” David asked. “I’ve heard of them before, but always in sort of a mystical sense. Not as if any actually existed now.”
    “My brother was friends with one back in Eureka when we were growing up.” I leaned back into the couch and patted the cushion for Link to join me. “Wolf shifters like Link here are more common. The original spell came from a fae shifter. Now, through breeding, there are hundreds of them. They’re regulated so you don’t see them everywhere, though.”
    “But you knew one?” David asked, his tone laced with a hint of accusation.
    I stiffened and ignored his question, unwilling to let his attitude rattle me. “Fae shifters are very powerful and very private. You find them more often in heavily wooded areas. It makes it easier to shift into other animals. Most fae shifters don’t like to shift into humans or other races. It holds no appeal. Or so Beau’s friend said. Was the emcee with Victoria when the attack happened on Harrison and the others?”
    David shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. He’s been with her at the club this entire time, so that makes sense.” He whipped out his phone and sent a text. No doubt to Allcot.
    His phone buzzed again and after David read the text, he scowled and leaped off the chair, already dialing. “I’ll be right back,” he said as he stalked out the front door.
    Phoebe rolled her eyes. “Always with the secrecy. Fifty bucks says Allcot wants you to work on this.”
    I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. The odds were too high that she was right. “You know I can’t afford to take that bet.”
    She smiled, but there wasn’t any amusement in her expression. The realization that she was probably right must’ve hit her. The door swung open again and David stood in the threshold, staring at me with an odd expression. “Father wants you to go to Eureka and bring back Kavanagh.”
    I scoffed. “Well, he isn’t likely to get what he wants, now, is he?”
    “Kavanagh will come if you ask him.” David’s expression had turned to stone. He wasn’t any happier about the request than I was.
    “Have you two forgotten that Tal isn’t talking to me? What makes you think I can convince him to come back here?” I wasn’t going to be of any help in that regard. My chest constricted with the idea that I might see him again. If Allcot sent for him, he might come. Who was I kidding? Tal hated the vampires. Allcot had no sway with him. Tal probably wouldn’t take his calls, either.
    Phoebe swiveled her head back and forth between the two of us, her