I put my own hands on my hip and lowered my chin. “Let me make one thing clear. You guys let her near my unconscious body ever again, and we’re going to have problems.”

He was silent for a long moment, then he heaved a sigh. “Fair enough.” His gaze swept past me and settled on Hannah’s house and his lips pulled back from his teeth once more.

I’d thought Vas was a kid when I first met him, falling for his young face and dreamy eyes. But if I’d seen this side of him, he would’ve scared the shit out of me.

I wasn’t budging on this, and I waited for him to come to terms with it. I needed to get into that illegal auction tonight.

“Are you coming in?” Hannah was standing on her porch, her hands on her hips as she examined us. Her gaze landed on Vas.

She smiled. He bristled. I groaned.

Then I threw up my hands and stalked toward her front door. Hannah stepped to the side and let me enter, and I shivered as her ward swept over my skin.

Vas snarled behind me, and I turned. Hannah was waiting for him to walk past her. I could’ve told her he wouldn’t trust her at his back.

She tutted and shuffled toward me, allowing Vas to shut the front door behind her.

“Please,” she said, gesturing for us to move into the kitchen. “Have a seat.”

Hannah’s home was crowded with antique furniture which had been dusted and polished until each piece gleamed. She instructed me to head into her kitchen and I took a seat at the scarred wooden table dominating the room. Vas leaned against the wall, his eyes dark. Hannah ignored him and moved toward her stove. I cleared my throat.

“Last time we did this, I needed some of Samael’s hair.”

Hannah kept her eyes on the spell she was stirring and nodded. “His ward was set to recognize only his magical signature. The place you are going must, by nature, allow the entry of multiple people. Their ward will have been created to prevent exactly what you’re planning. I added a little something into the look-away spell to help you get through the ward, but ultimately, that’ll be up to you and your power.”

My mouth went dry. Hannah smiled and glanced over her shoulder at me, inhaling deeply.

She was totally feeding on my fear. I scowled at her.

“Tone the creepy down a notch, Hannah.”

Her face fell. “You’re no longer scared of me.” Anyone else would have been pleased. Hannah’s voice was heavy with disappointment.

I rolled my eyes. “So how do we know I can get through their ward?”

“They may be good, but I’m better.”