60

“What?” My voice was muffled against her clothes. “From here? Is it dangerous here?”

She shrugged. “Hasn’t been so far.” She took my hand. “Come on, you’re coming up to the house with me. Nicky and Sebastian have to head back.”

I glanced over my shoulder, barely able to make Nic out in the gloom. “You’re going back now?”

His clothes rustled like he’d shrugged. “I have to. We need to chase down some leads, see what we can find out about Jean.”

I sighed softly, but when he spoke again, I knew he’d heard it.

“I’ll be back tomorrow. I won’t go a day without seeing you.”

“Yes, yes.” Sebastian heaved his own dramatic sigh. “We all suffer.”

Before I had further opportunity to say goodbye, Aimée tugged my hand. “The sooner he’s gone, the sooner he’ll be back, so we need to let them leave.”

When I glanced behind me, I couldn’t see anything but black, and there was no way to tell if Nic was still watching me or not.

I stopped when I first saw the house. It was a quaint little log cabin, and light spilled from the windows. It belonged in some sort of painting in a room filled with patchwork throws, doilies, and couches with those arm and headrest covers. The rustic logs it was made from looked like someone had toppled whole trees and just constructed the place building-block style.

Inside, the quota of too-cute continued, with big couches, overstuffed cushions, and area rugs with lamps casting a soft pools of light throughout the space.

“You like?” Aimée turned around, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. “Different than Nicky’s place, right? But I have a surprise for you…” She walked to a small table then lifted a plate toward me.

“Cookies?” My stomach rumbled at the sight.

“Better.” Aimée’s smile widened. “Chef’s cookies.”

I reached for one but paused, my hand hovering over all the gooey, chocolatey deliciousness when an unfamiliar voice cut through the room.

“You been holding out on us?” An unfamiliar woman leaned against a doorway, her arms folded. She walked forward. “You brought actual cookies and you weren’t gonna share?” She nabbed one from the plate and bit into it, melted chocolate spilling down her chin. “Shit, these babies are still warm. What did you do? Kidnap a baker?”

Aimée shrugged, and the plate bobbed up and down. “No, no kidnap involved. Chef likes to be where Leia is because she eats his food.”

As if to prove her point, I grabbed a cookie and almost smashed it into my mouth as my stomach growled again. “That’s heaven,” I moaned as I took a second one.

“Huh. Bet you’ll miss them after,” the strange woman said, and Aimée glared at her.

Well, shit. Did everyone know my deal with Nic was only for a month? I glanced at the plate. “Maybe I’ll ask Nic for a timeshare arrangement with Chef, or something.”

The woman laughed. “No, I meant after—”

“Have I introduced Ulva?” Aimée’s question cut right across whatever Ulva had been about to say, but I shook my head, eyeing the dark-haired stranger.

“No.”

Ulva waved. “Hi.”

I glanced at Aimée. “Are we all about to be happy little roommates?”

“Something like that,” Ulva said, replying for my friend. “Think of me more as your summer camp counselor. I’ll be arranging your daily activities. I didn’t realize you’d look so…” She skimmed a gaze over me, a slight sneer wrinkling her nose. “…fragile. It’s been a long time since I’ve been around a human. So first up tomorrow, self-defense training.”

She grabbed another cookie and retreated from the room.

19

Nic

I

 jogged back over the landscape we’d traversed in darkness last night, my feet slipping on the damp grass. It was later than I wanted—early evening now—but I’d made my way back here as fast as I could. I couldn’t stay away from Leia for too long.

I shook my head as I ran. A female had never made me so weak. Yet I didn’t feel weakened at all. Leia’s power coursed through my veins, strengthening me. Our bond made me a stronger vampire, a stronger king.

And I couldn’t wait to fucking see her.

As I approached the strange little crackerbox house, so tiny in its construction, I was unsure how wolves used it as a place to live at all, especially when they preferred to travel in packs, the grunts and moans of a fight sliced the air. I picked up speed. What the fuck? These fuckers were supposed to be protecting Leia, and now there was a fight right outside the fucking house?

Hell, no. Not near my true mate.

I slowed as I neared the edge of the tree line, and crept forward, my fangs threatening to descend as the fighting continued.

Leia flew through the air, tossed by a shifter female, and I lurched forward, then stopped, leaving deep grooves in the trunk of the nearest tree as I raked my fingernails over it. Fury erupted inside me, but Leia clambered to her feet and rushed forward again, her fighting technique more enthusiasm than skill.

Aimée stood to the side and fended off Leia’s blow, then battled her backward until Leia stumbled and landed on her ass.

“Oof!” Her exclamation filled the air as she hit the ground hard, and she was slower to stand as she rubbed her hand over the area where there was sure to be a bruise.

Part of me wanted to kiss it better, part of me wanted to storm over to Leia and demand what the hell she thought she was doing. I could always slit the shifter’s throat on the way. Her hands had no place on my mate.

But Leia used her arms to ward off more blows, still breathing hard. Then she bent forward and wheezed, and I almost stepped out into the open. But instead of Leia keeling over, the space filled with the most glorious sound.