Precarious Possessions (Maxwell Investigations) by Dawn Ibanez Page B

that
was wearing a lab coat. “Oh hell,” he whispered as he felt the amount of wild
magic that was in the air.
    Madison’s small frame was glowing in a red light. Her hair
was a nimbus around her shoulders as she went down the hall taking any and
every head that she could. This was why she always warned Barry to leave Death
Magic alone. While he could control massive amounts of power, Death was like a
live wire. Her glowing eyes focused on a nude form that was currently huddled
over a young man’s body. Madison could tell it had once been a woman but it
appeared that it was dehydrated and shriveled. “One of the originals,” she said
in a sibilant voice. Her eyes glowed brightly as she quickly brought down her
blade and took its head.
    Casper watched her. Madison’s magic was one of the few
things that ever scared him. She was still completely in control, but he wasn’t
sure how long that would last. “Do you see the other one?” he asked.
    Red eyes looked around the corridor and spotted blood on the
other set of doors. A growl escaped her as she gripped her scythe. The weapon
then changed into the shape of a sword. “It’s in the building,” she answered.
    “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it,” Casper said
approaching her. He saw the way she continued to the door and ran after her.
“Madison.” He grabbed her arms and forced her to turn to him.
    Madison pulled her arm away from Casper’s grasp and glared
at him. “I have to get this under control,” she told him. The sibilant quality
of her voice only grew worse as she stared at her friend. “If I don’t, the
Council can kill him for this.”
    Casper frowned as Madison turned to follow the trails of
blood. He should have known that she wouldn’t allow her brother’s fuck up to
endanger anyone else. It was bad enough that they were going to have to explain
how so many people died. There was no telling how the Council would to handle
this. As a rule it was entirely possible that Barry would be executed for this.
    When the door Madison went through closed, Casper pulled out
his cell phone and dialed his brother. “I hope you’re on your way,” he said
making his way to where he left Troy and Belle.
    The low hum of an engine echoed through the phone. Finally a
sigh came across the line. “How bad is it?” Crispin asked.
    Casper looked around the hallway. “It’s a blood bath. And it
doesn’t help that her magic is about to start pulling on everyone in the
building.” He heard Crispin’s low curse and nodded to himself. “That about sums
it up. Get here ASAP.” Casper snapped his phone shut and glanced back at the
door Madison went through moments ago.
    Belle’s scream brought his attention back to the present.
    He didn’t even hesitate as he ran to the stairwell. Casper
ripped the door off its hinges in time to see another nude form tackle Troy to
the floor. He moved forward and hissed when he saw the raw bite wound on the
young wolf’s neck. Just as the crazed woman went to sink her teeth into him
again, Casper grabbed a handful of her greasy hair and cut her head off. He
ignored the screams of the woman they saved. Right now his main concern would
have to be Troy.
    Dazed gold eyes looked up at Casper. “Where’s Madison?” he
asked as he tried to get his feet under him. He looked around the stairwell and
saw at his mother. “Are you okay?” he slurred.
    Belle nodded mutely as she backed away from Troy. His entire
body was encased in a soft glow and his facial features were beginning to
become more and more lupine.
    Casper knelt in front of Troy and forced the younger man to
look into his eyes. The frown on his face deepened as he saw threads of red
entering gold. “Troy, I need you to stay still,” he said lowly. His lips
thinned when Troy tried to stand up again. “Damn it, are you listening to me?”
    Troy couldn’t make out what Casper was saying. The need to
shift and find his mate was becoming unbearable. His eyes