On a Razor's Edge by K. F. Breene Read Free Book Online Page A

image cleared away, Toa having disbanded the spell.
    “Yeah, but, let’s be honest, guys—there is no way that hurts more than childbirth, and it’s only an hour. Right?”
    To a wavered, reaching for Dominicous to brace him. “I will need to think on that. That severely taxed my energy levels. I had not realized it was so dangerous.”
    “B et your magic tests never went like this before.” I jumped up and rubbed my hands together. “I’m a professional at strange paranoia. Okay, on to black, finally.”
    I drew once again, sucking in deep, curing the failure of white with the bliss and glory of black. I sighed in relief and eased a protective box into existence, the only spell I’d tried in black lately, knowing that it actually worked. As I’d hoped, a large black box, almost solid, materialized in front of me, capturing air.
    “Alas, the one I can do right.”
    The spectators gasped, leaning forward to look at a square.
    “It isn’t much, but at least it won’t try to kill me.” I was tired. I wanted to go lie down, mocking smirk from Toa or no.
    To a and Dominicous approached the box slowly, probably terrified it would grow arms and bite. Dominicous walked around the outside, his arms crossed over his chest. I used the stare-free time to lean against Stefan, closing my eyes when his arms came around my waist. He kissed me on the head and squeezed.
    Dominicous reached out a hand to touch the box.
    “Don’t, ” I warned. “The shock is worse than when Toa touched me earlier.”
    He continued reaching.
    Like a bug zapper, a life-sized buzzing blared, flinging Dominicous flat on his back. He lay with his arms out, eyes open in shock. Charles wheezed out a laugh he couldn’t stop in time.
    “Can you get rid of this?” Toa asked, still analyzing the box, easing a dagger from his pocket.
    “I think so. Or I can blow it up.”
    Toa pushed the very tip of a glowing white blade toward the box. As soon as it touched a lesser buzz sounded, having Toa flinching back with a, “Eeeeah!”
    “Let’s move back into the house, shall we?” Dominicous suggested, hauling himself up slowly. “As men, we love an explosion, but maybe just disengage it, if you can.”
    I got to work unraveling, something I could do easily with black. If I wasn’t terrified of what would happen when the spells went wrong, I’d use black way more often.

 
    Chapter 4
     
     
     
    The procession entered the same room we’d been in earlier, but this time Charles was allowed to sit in the corner. I think Stefan and Dominicous had had enough with pain, monsters, and workouts. Not that they would admit it. The way they went about it, Charles was there for moral support.
    “We now need to test your human vulnerabilities,” Dominicous started, sitting gratefully. “If you are to be mage, like Stefan hopes, you have to withstand our influences. Our pheromones.”
    Stefan tensed slightly but said nothing. I just nodded. I’d been through this with Luke, the clan’s best at mental manipulation. I’d gotten turned on for a second, I’d gotten a quick dose of fear, and I’d gotten pissed when he touched my boob. He hadn’t been expecting the slap.
    To a drifted in front of me, his appearance like one fresh out of the powder room. If I hadn’t just seen him electrocuted, thrown around the dirt, chased in a clearing, and shocked, I would’ve suspected he’d just arrived at the mansion. Amazing.
    “You can close your eyes or keep t hem open, as it befits you.” Toa waited for me to nod.
    He knew humans.
    A tingling erupted at the bottom of my sternum. The flight reflex. He was trying fear first.
    My limbs got jittery and my breath shallow. My body tensed.
    My first impulse was to reach for my dagger. A huge smile erupted on my face and I stared at Toa manically, daring him to try anything. I even had my rape whistle handy—he didn’t know what he was messing with!
    Then I took a big breath and forced it all away. Stefan could do