The Witching Craft (The Witches of Redwood Falls 2) Read Online Free

she scrubbed it away, breathing deeply. She wouldn't cry over this. She wouldn’t . She'd experienced harder things, excruciating things. Endurance was possible. She’d survive.
    Tying down her groceries in the bike’s basket, she hopped on and headed home with a heavy heart. Her self-pity distracted her.
    A man stepped onto the deserted country road. She cursed, recognizing him for what he was.
    A hunter.
    Her bike came to a slow stop, her body stilling as she realized what she lacked.
    Her cloak.
    No power hummed down her arms. No orange tendrils of magick caressed her skin.
    Her shield extinguished, she’d all but invited him to find her. Her carelessness would cost her precious energy. At least one man was easy to defeat. She’d finish him off, wipe his mind, and get home quickly. "You really don't want to do this," she warned, hoping he'd be smart and leave before things turned ugly. Outrunning him was impossible, and she really didn't like hurting people.
    He laughed mirthlessly. "Oh, I think we do."
    At his words, four others stepped from the shelter of the trees, surrounding her.
    She stamped down the first flutter of fear. Five against one. And from the looks of them, highly trained hunters.
    "If you give us the talisman, we'll let you go," the leader offered graciously.
    One of his men snickered.
    The ringleader was large and muscled. Such physiques weren’t necessary to wield magicks, but it gave him strength, stamina. And his eyes were cruel. He wouldn’t let her go. Not even if she gave him the bracelet. Men like him never left their victims alive.
    He radiated dark energy. They all did. "Will you really?" she stalled, shrinking under his gaze, praying he took it as a sign of acquiescence instead of coiling for an attack.
    "Oh yeah, Darlin'. We promise," another man taunted.
    Sweat broke out on Persephone's brow. There was no way to defeat these men alone. No way to win the fight.
    Except one.
    She closed her eyes. The talisman burned her wrist, urging her to use it. If she misjudged its power, she'd die. They'd kill her if she didn’t.
    Her eyes opened slowly, the decision made.
    "So, what's it going to be?"
    She cleared her throat for one last bluff. "I don't have it on me. It's at my house." If she could get make it home, Zander would help. The group was strong, but they’d never defeat mated powers.
    The leader snorted. "Nice try, honey. I sense it on you now. Hand it over."
    Her heart quaked, but her voice held firm. "No."
    His brows narrowed. "Your choice. Or, I should say, your mistake." He signaled the men to move in.
    They stalked her, hunting as a pack.
    Though it endangered her, she hesitated unleashing the talisman, unwilling to bring on the pain she'd suffer.
    One of the lackeys launched forward.
    She raised the bracelet to eye level, the opposite hand clasping the metal. Three words tumbled from her lips before lightning shot out, finding her assailants’ hearts like rods.
    She screamed, collapsing under the pain ricocheting through her.
    She welcomed blackness as it overtook her.

4
    Z ander cursed as the cloak lifted. She wasn't in her house any longer but in town. What could she be thinking? Didn't the woman have any idea how dangerous it was for her to be out alone?
    He cursed, hopping on his motorcycle and jetted down the road. He didn't admire the rural feel of the area anymore. He scrutinized the shrubbery, trees, heck, even the ditch for irrigation water beside the road as hiding places. Hundreds of bodies could be concealed in either the waist high grass of the field next to the house or the forest across from it.
    Being one of those bodies in the past, he knew just how easy blending in, even without the aid of magick.
    He pushed himself hard, imagining wringing her neck once he got ahold of her. They'd be having a talk about her safety, and he didn't care whether she wanted to hear about it or not.
    She had no idea how many enemies he'd taken down since he'd stationed himself