Intoxicating Magic by Deanna Chase

here?” The tall vampire was dressed in black thermal snow pants and a matching jacket. A ski hat was pulled down over his ink-black hair and he carried a tranq gun.
    “Waiting out the storm.” Tal glanced at Link. “I’d invite you in, but the wolf isn’t friendly. Better if you stay outside.”
    Macinson flattened his hand on the partially open door and pushed, but stopped when Link crept forward. He took two steps back, giving Link the space he demanded. “Where the fuck is she?”
    Tal raised one eyebrow. “Who?”
    “You know damned well who. The fae. Your friend. ”
    Tal leaned his forearm against the door and swung the crossbow over his shoulder. His brows pitched together as he gave the other man a confused look. “She’s with Hunter. Didn’t you see her when they got back to the compound last night?”
    Macinson let out a hollow laugh. “The bitch attacked him. Escaped before they ever made it up the mountain.”
    Tal’s eyebrows shot straight up in the perfect imitation of shock. “Attacked him? Willow? You’re kidding, right? But how could she overpower a vampire? That seems unlikely.”
    Macinson scoffed. “You’re so naïve. Didn’t you learn anything about her when you were banging her last winter?”
    I scowled. Banging me? Had Tal been telling everyone that’s how he knew me? If anyone did any research at all, they’d know we’d grown up together. Why the messed-up lie?
    “Seems like you could’ve spent a little more time investigating her abilities and a little less time fu—”
    “That’s enough,” Tal barked in anger. “I was there to get information on the Cryrique. Not Willow. Besides, I’ve known her for forever and am well aware of her abilities already.”
    “Idiot,” Macinson said under his breath. “Well, she nearly killed Hunter. If it hadn’t been for that human we stumbled upon, he’d have slipped into an unrecoverable coma. That bitch has powerful magic. Too bad you were too stupid to unravel it. Maybe then you’d be able to do more than just watch the dog.”
    Tal’s eyes narrowed. “Human?”
    Macinson shrugged. “Hunter needed blood. What’s one human life compared to the war?”
    Acid burned on the back of my tongue. They’d fed a human to Hunter? Had he really killed someone in order to avoid suspicion? Had he really needed human blood to recover? My knees went weak, and I clutched the shelving, hanging on for all I was worth.
    If that was true, was it sanctioned by the Void? My hands went numb from clutching the nearby shelves. I had to get away from them, and I’d do whatever it took to take Tal with me.
    Talisen was quiet while he seemed to gather his thoughts and compose himself. Finally he said, “As long as we didn’t lose one of the team. Casualties happen.”
    Vomit threatened to choke me. He didn’t mean it. He couldn’t. But he was standing there acting as if nothing was wrong. I took a deep breath. Calm down, Willow. What else was he supposed to do? Blow his cover? He was only doing his job.
    But it was hard to watch. I don’t know why. I’d watched Phoebe bullshit her way through all kinds of scenarios, and I’d never once doubter her. Why couldn’t I extend Talisen the same courtesy? Maybe because I’d never seen him play this role before. Or maybe I was still punishing him for leaving.
    I hated that about myself. But there it was.
    “What happened? Why did you end up here?” Macinson asked.
    Tal jerked his head toward Link. “After her dog woke up, he took off. Looking for her, no doubt. I had to track him down before he became a nuisance. Once I finally did, it had already started to snow. I holed up waiting for the storm to pass.”
    So plausible. I never knew he was that good a liar.
    Macinson eyed Link. “He’s useful, then. Hand him over so we can track the girl.”
    Link snarled, saliva dripping from his muzzle.
    “I don’t think so,” Tal said sympathetically. “He doesn’t play nice with vampires. You’ll