Witch's Bounty by Ann Gimpel Read Free Book Online Page A

nothing like buildings in the U.K., but mold, mildew, and disrepair were evident. Apparently building maintenance wasn’t high on the witches’ list of priorities.
    “Watch it, sweetie,” Colleen hissed into his ear. “If you criticize anyone, they’ll force you to leave.”
    He made a grab for her arm and tried telepathic speech, unsure if she’d be able to hear him. “Why are you living in my mind?”
    “Because I’m still not positive you won’t betray us.”
    He bristled at the implication he’d be anything less than honorable. He’d offered himself up in an honest effort to right old wrongs, but her attitude grated. “If you’d rather, I can leave right now,” he said stiffly.
    “Bully idea,” Jenna muttered, but Bubba clawed his way up Duncan’s side and settled in the crook of one arm.
    Colleen shook her head. “No. Like I said before, we need all the help we can get. Besides, Bubba seems to trust him and he doesn’t give that away lightly.”
    “Maybe the changeling’s just pissed at you,” Jenna said, “and hoping for better luck with the Sidhe.” The cat hissed, snarled, and reached a paw toward Jenna, claws extended. “All right, all right.” She took a step back. “I didn’t mean it.”
    Duncan blew out a tense breath. Though he’d tossed out the option of ditching them, the last thing he wanted was to leave Colleen’s side. “Come on.” He started down the hall, still holding the changeling. The creature felt warm against his side.
    “How’d you know to go left?” Jenna asked. “Supposedly, you haven’t been here before.”
    “I haven’t. There was another door at the far end of the boiler room that looked like it went outside. If we’re hunting for an inner staircase…” he let his words trail off. Duncan wasn’t used to explaining himself to anyone, but then no Sidhe did, no matter what their social standing.
    He came to an opening where risers led upward and sent magic ahead, checking for danger. Witch energy bombarded him. “Looks like your friend got tired of waiting.”
    “Patience never was her long suit.” Colleen snorted.
    Privately, Duncan didn’t think any of the three witches could be poster children for anything that smacked of submissiveness, but he kept his mouth shut and hoped to hell Colleen wasn’t in his thoughts.
    Heavy soled boots sounded on the bare, wooden stairs. A woman with black hair so long it reached her knees came into view. Strong Native American features, with high cheekbones and a beak of a nose, graced her ageless face. She was the same height as Jenna, which pegged her around six feet four, but she had a much more slender build. Discerning dark eyes caught his gaze and held it. She wiped her hands on the sides of her tattered blue jeans and tugged a nondescript, gray sweater lower around her hips. “Hmph. I can see why they didn’t simply toss you out on your ass. Colleen didn’t say you were drop dead gorgeous.”
    “Give it a rest, Roz.” Jenna pushed in next to Duncan. “They all are.”
    “You’re doing it again,” Duncan said through gritted teeth.
    “Doing what?”
    “Talking about me as if I were an object and wasn’t here.”
    “Oh,” she swept her upper body into a mock bow, “can you ever forgive me, Sidhe, sir?”
    “Can we just go on upstairs?” Colleen’s voice held a weary note. “There’s an enemy here, but it’s not us.”
    “It’s why I came down here,” Roz turned and headed back up the stairs, “to show you this staircase.”
    Except I found it just fine without you. Duncan muffled his thoughts. If Colleen could invade his mind like a stealth fighter, no doubt these other two could also. Hadn’t they said Roz was more powerful than both of them put together? He thought about it and realized they hadn’t actually said that. He’d plucked it out of Colleen’s head.
    Duncan followed Roz’s swinging hips up the stairs. Guess Colleen’s not the only one guilty of mind eavesdropping. He