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“
Likewise,”
Ember grinned.

“
Let’s go and
kick some ass.” Cora pulled the two of them with her up to the
shop. “But first, I’m thirsty, Tab. I could do with a sugar fix
right now.”

Tabitha
chuckled; Cora smiled, seeing the tension slip away from her
shoulders. They only had so long to wait now. Things would come
together because Cora believed in karma. Karma was a
bitch.

33

UNWANTED VISITOR

Jack loved to
stand back and watch Cora. He loved to drink in the little things
she did, ones that made his heart hammer. He loved to see the way
she pulled her lower lip into her mouth and nibbled on it. He liked
to trace the little line between her brows when she
frowned.

She was sat at
the table in the shop. On one side of her sat Ciaran’s mother,
Iona, on the other side was Evelyn. No matter where she went now,
she always had someone there for her. They were always watching
protectively over her. Iona was more attentive since
Brianna.

Cora could
hardly move. The bump had definitely ballooned. She had only four
more weeks to go. Four more weeks left to overthrow Alastair. Jack
didn’t have any confidence in achieving it because they were still
scrambling around trying to find Adanna. But he had to remain
positive, for Cora, for Tabitha. They all deserved this redemption
but Tabitha and Cora had been through so much. Everyone banded
together to see justice for the two of them

Jack still
couldn’t believe what Tabitha had told them. He still found his
anger unmanageable at times, but Cora held absolute control. Her
instructions were final. He knew they would seek their revenge.
They couldn’t fail now.

It was a good
job there were more coven members around here because they were
spread thinly as it was. Everyone had been given tasks to do, their
main objective was to find Adanna. Jack’s objective was to remain
by Cora’s side. Iona and Evelyn preferred it in the shop so they
were always on hand to help. If this had been left to their coven,
they would have failed, but they would have died trying. Everyone’s
help was required, and as it stood, they had a shot at surviving
this.

Jack continued
to watch her. She nibbled her lip and then her eyes looked up,
meeting his. The smile that touched her lips made his heart
flutter. He couldn’t imagine the feeling ever going away, the need
to kiss her every second of every day was a natural feeling to him
now. He loved her, more than words could describe.

The bell above
the door dinged and he jumped up as Mrs Rogers hobbled into the
shop.

“
Good
afternoon, Mrs Rogers.”

“
Hello,
dearie,” she panted.

“
Please, let me
help you,” Iona said as she steered Mrs Rogers away from
Jack.

“
What are we
looking for today?” Evelyn asked as she followed the elderly around
the shop.

“
Oh my, well, I
need more of those heart bath bombs and...”

Jack left them
to it and joined Cora at the table. He laughed at Cora’s facial
expression. Only Mrs Rogers could do that to Cora.

“
Do you know
what those bath bombs do?” Cora asked him.

Now it was
Jack’s turn to pull a face. He shuddered. “I don’t want to
know.”

Jack pulled
her hand into his, twined their fingers together and looked at her.
She looked tired but he knew that she didn’t sleep well now. The
bump got in the way. The stress of finding Adanna was also taking
its toll on her.

“
I’m sorry,”
Cora whispered.

“
What
for?”

“
I know you
wanted to be elsewhere. All this stuff is happening and we never
get time alone...”

“
Cora,” he
whispered, lifting his hand and brushing back her hair. She sighed
and pushed her cheek into his hand. “Everything that is happening
here, it is happening for a good reason. We will have plenty of
time to ourselves when we’ve got rid of Alastair.”

Cora sighed
again. “I know, but you are sat here rather than helping
downstairs, and now you have to watch Mrs Rogers buy more bath
bombs that heightens her husband’s sex drive...”

Jack winced.
Some things he didn’t need to know. He swallowed and smiled.
“Thanks for the mental image.” He did, however, enjoy seeing Cora
smile.

“
I have to deal
with those mental images all the time.”

“
Hmm... sharing
is definitely not caring in this instance, but I don’t mind being
up here with you. It means I get to look at your beautiful face all
day.”

Jack leant
towards her, his hand sliding under her chin as he lifted her lips
up to meet his. Cora smiled as she moved into him. He missed being
able to hold her close to him. This wouldn’t last much longer.
Everything would be solved, or it would all end. Either way, there
was a solution.

“
Mrs Rogers is
being spoilt today,” Cora giggled as she rested her forehead
against his.

“
Hmm... she is
leaving with more bath bombs,” Jack croaked, pushing aside the
terrifying mental image.

Cora laughed
as Iona and Evelyn joined them.

“
That lady is
special; you know she bought more bath bombs, they-”

“
Eve,” Jack
interrupted her quickly. “Everyone knows what those bath bombs
do.”

Iona laughed.
“She is one kinky lady. I like her! If I have half her stamina when
I’m her age, well...”

“
Jesus Christ!”
Jack moaned. Was this really going to be the topic of conversation
today? He shook his head. He couldn’t wait for the day when
everything would be mundane. He missed normal things. He would
never complain about normal things again.

“
What if it
doesn’t work?” Iona asked.

“
What the bath
bombs?” Evelyn asked, confused.

“
No,” Iona
laughed, and then sighed. “The plan?”

Jack shrugged.
“We think of another way to overthrow Alastair. Either way, that
man will no longer stand as a leader once we are finished with
him.”

“
What if the
bath bombs don’t work?” Evelyn giggled.

Jack saw the
long greying hair out of the corner of his eye.

“
Both of you,
get upstairs!” Jack boomed and quickly stood up.

Sensing his
tone, Evelyn and Iona rushed up into Tabitha’s flat. Jack watched
as Tavish popped onto the street and continued striding behind
Alastair. Alastair pushed open the shop door.

“
Afternoon,
Cora!”

Cora grumbled
her response and held Jack’s hand in view of him. Jack couldn’t
help grinning. He loved to see the anger on Alastair face when he
spied the two of them together like this. It pushed home another of
Alastair’s failures.

“
How are yer
feeling?” Alastair tried again for conversation.

Cora moved in
and gently kissed Jack. It took all of Jack’s strength not to
laugh. Cora’s lips felt like they were smiling against
his.

“
A see yer
ignorin’ me. Well, A hope the baby is alright.”

“
A think
something needs to be done about the lack of manners,” Tavish piped
up.

Jack broke
their bubble and glared at Tavish. He was rich to talk of
manners.

“
Ah, so now yer
pay attention. The pregnancy will be moved along soon
enough.”

What the hell
did that mean? Jack edged his body in front of Cora’s, ignoring her
protesting tut. She may have her extra weight, but she could defend
herself. He knew this, he just didn’t like how the extra weight
slowed her down.

“
Cud A trouble
yer for a drink?” Alastair asked.

“
Sure, that is
no trouble at all, because I’m not getting you one,” Jack
leered.

Jack didn’t
want them to stay. He really hoped that the people stayed in the
coven room downstairs, otherwise their secret planning would all be
for nothing.

“
How is
Cathella, the traitor?” Tavish hissed.

Jack looked at
Cora and grinned before he turned back to Tavish. “Extremely loved
up the last time I saw her, but you saw that, right?”

Tavish stepped
closer.

“
How is the
broken heart?” Jack sneered. The dimples popped in his cheeks as he
shot Tavish the sweet and innocent smile.

Cora felt some
of the tension lift from her shoulders, which in turn made her
smile.

Tavish
growled.

“
Well,”
Alastair said. “A think a little drama is on the cards. Tavish,
hold yerself.”

The bell above
the door sounded. Jack clenched his fists as the person halted in
front of them.

“
Hello, Jack,
how ar yer?” Quinn asked. His hands were stuffed in his pockets in
a relaxed stance. He grinned at him and that one action made Jack’s
blood boil.

34

QUINN

What the hell
was he doing here? Jack clenched his fists, feeling anger surged to
every hidden pocket of his body. Quinn’s eyes looked over Cora,
rested on her bump, before travelling back to her eyes. Jack
growled. He needed to unleash it. He didn’t care that he faced
three members of the Scottish coven by himself.

But the only
member that mattered was Alastair. If they got rid of Alastair,
everything else would fall into place. He had to focus on that, but
Jesus, he wanted to punch Quinn with every bit of strength he could
muster. Telling himself the sensible things didn’t push away the
anger he felt when looking at Quinn.

“
Looking swell,
Cora!” Quinn boomed.

Jack almost
laughed. Quinn didn’t know about the fake pregnancy which told him
Alastair still didn’t know. Despite the anger lifting, Jack was
still wary. Alastair would know everything that had happened with
Quinn so Jack shifted his footing, preparing himself for what was
to come.

“
How long do
yer huv left?” Quinn asked conversationally.

“
Not long,”
Cora snapped.

Cora’s hand
slid into his and he felt her element caress him. He could feel the
wind creating a protective bubble around them. Alastair stepped
around Quinn, stepping closer to them.

“
A know aboot
yer trip to Edinburgh,” Alastair sneered.

Jack grinned.
“We’ve been up there many times, you will have to refresh my
memory.”

Alastair
hissed in frustration. “A know aboot Ember’s ability, it doesn’t
take a genius to figure out how yer are moving around, just be
warned. A’m watchin’ yer.”

“
You seem to
have forgotten that Ember used her element in front of you. You
know, the day we played charades?”

“
Well, Quinn
told me. He’s made me believe that is how you move
around.”

Jack laughed.
“And your eyes didn’t make you believe it? I think you need to get
your eyes tested!”

“
Hmmm... you do
seem to squint a bit,” Cora added.

Jack watched
Alastair. He didn’t say a word. This annoyed the Scot all the more.
He really didn’t like their use of sarcasm.

“
A know aboot
yer weaknesses,” Quinn declared, “This entire coven is a
weakness.”

Jack heard
Cora groan quietly under her breath. Even now, Jack still couldn’t
understand what Cora had seen in Quinn. But everyone was entitled
to some mistakes in their lives, this was one of Cora’s. He
wouldn’t hold it against her.

“
You’re a git,
do you know that?” Cora snarled.

“
Why, thank
you,” Quinn laughed.

“
A know aboot
the telephone conversation, Jack. Do yer think yer can imitate
me?”

“
A don’t think
it’s hard!” Jack laughed and saw the fire burn in Alastair’s blue
eyes.

“
I’m going to
smash your head open!” Ciaran stormed as he rushed out of the
little stock room.

Cora looked
over, surprised, and then she realised at the same time as he did
that Ember had been at work. How had Ember known something was
happening here? She would help in keeping them downstairs, unless
she was still waiting in the little room?

“
Come on then!”
Quinn snapped.

Jack sighed.
Did Quinn seriously think that Alastair would help him if he
challenged Ciaran? Alastair had wronged Ciaran in the worst
possible way. Ciaran was just biding his time because he respected
Cora, but he would survive their attacks, and then he would step up
and kill them.

Ciaran walked
straight up to Quinn and pulled back his fist. In the blink of an
eye, red mist sprayed everywhere. The crunch of snapping bone
sounded before Quinn’s agonised curse made Jack smile.

Ciaran stood
straighter and glared at Alastair. “What you have coming will hurt
more than that!”

Tavish pushed
forward but Alastair’s hand stopped him. It would be suicide. Ember
was so bloody clever. Jack knew this, and it made him
smile.