“Abel, he’s with a witch,” Barb announced, and Abel looked to her. “A powerful one.”

“Come again?” he asked.

“There’s no way to block a witch finding you,” Barb explained, “except by using a witch.”

“We got some mojo,” Ruby declared. “The five of us against one cloaking spell?” She shook her head. “He didn’t find some random witch to give him a bit of invisibility that’d see him through. He’s got an active witch with him who’s keeping him hidden. And whoever she is, she’s got more mojo than us. By a lot.”

“I’m sorry, Abel,” Aurora said softly, and his gaze turned to her to see her on her feet.

“Not a problem. You tried.” He grinned at her. “Even wounded in the battle. I appreciate it.”

She grinned back.

Yuri put an arm around her and tucked her close.

Abel grinned at him, but it was different this time, seeing as the guy was seriously digging his little witch.

He felt Delilah take his hand and he looked down at her.

“Bummer,” she whispered.

He wasn’t sure he agreed, but he could see she felt that word intensely, so he lifted his hand to cup her jaw, running his thumb along her cheek.

She pressed into his hand and he slid it back into her hair and tugged her face into his chest.

She wound her arms around his waist.

He looked to Jian-Li.

The second she saw his eyes on her, she wiped the concern from her expression and gave him a small smile he knew she didn’t feel.

He returned it.

“Sorry, son,” Hook said from close, and Abel turned in that direction just as the man patted him on the arm.

“We’ll try some other things,” Aurora offered.

“That’d be good,” Abel replied, not sure he meant it. His brother wanted to stay hidden? He’d done a brilliant job with that for maybe centuries. Abel wasn’t sure he was real fired up to make him stop. Still, he finished with, “Thanks.”

She tipped her head to the side and grinned at him.

“Fuck, that was some crazy shit. Need bourbon,” Moose grumbled. “Like, immediately.”

That, Abel agreed with.

Delilah pulled away, letting him go. “I’ll go get it.”

“I’ll help,” Aurora said.

“Don’t forget the nuts,” Ruby called as they made their way to the door.

They took off and Abel moved to Jian-Li. He sat on the arm of her chair, bent deep, and touched his lips to the top of her hair.

When he lifted up, she tilted her head back to catch his eyes.

“I’m good,” he said quietly.

She studied him.

Then she reached out, grabbed his hand, and gave it a squeeze.

“Our luck will turn,” she promised.

He squeezed her hand back, hoping she was right.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Visitors

Delilah