by Lish McBride
Leaning over was uncomfortable, so I sat back up and propped my head on Lock. It felt good to be around my friends again, even if they could both be suffocating know-it-alls sometimes. “First of all, I didn’t go out alone, I had backup. Second, I didn’t know who Alistair was sending to me.”
“You could have requested us,” Ezra said.
“And you could have called,” Lock added. “I had to find out what was going on from Bianca.”
I frowned. “Bianca told you?”
“Yeah,” Lock said, holding tight to my hand so I couldn’t pull away. “She called us from the warehouse. Turns out they have these things called cell phones now. You can call people from all over the place.”
Yep, I still wasn’t out of the doghouse with Lock. Well, what did I expect—instant forgiveness even when he’d told me it would take time? “If you know everything, why are you talking to me, then?” I couldn’t quite keep the hint of recrimination from my tone.
“We still need to hear your side. Walk us through, because now that we’re here, we’re jumping in.”
Like they would do anything else.
I’d mostly caught them up by the time Alistair called an end to our minimeeting. I could have gotten mad because he cut us short, but Venus wouldn’t have given us any time at all. It’s good to put things in perspective sometimes.
6
MINIVANS REALLY ARE QUITE PRACTICAL
FOOD HAD BEEN ORDERED, and a veritable banquet met us when we entered. Sid was already sitting down with a heaping dish of fried chicken, potato salad, and his own basket of rolls. Mouth full, he nodded at a similar plate he’d already heaped with food for me.
Sid and I were going to be best friends.
Alistair tipped the cream pitcher into his coffee. He carried the mug back to his seat and set it aside to cool. Then Alistair stared off into space for a moment, like we weren’t there.
I didn’t want to push. With Venus, you didn’t badger for more info. She told you what she wanted to tell you, and that was it. Most times, you didn’t want to know more. But I was starting to understand that wasn’t the way Alistair functioned. When he took over, he said he prized curiosity and intelligence, and at the time I thought they were just words he said, not words he meant. People usually say they want ingenuity and independent thought in their staff, but really they just want obedience. It would be foolish to think that Alistair didn’t want that, too, but he appeared to want it tempered with judgment. Which, sadly, I tend to lack. As it was, it took all my energy to not set fire to the furniture. Between exhaustion from earlier and the emotional runoff from my discussion with Ezra and Lock, I was a bit out of sorts.
Alistair blew on his coffee before taking a sip. Despite all the horror today had held, Alistair was still in firm control of himself and of us. I couldn’t quite decide if I should admire that or fear it. When he was finally ready, he spoke. “We’ll need to see if Elias and Luke were an isolated event or not.”
“What makes you think it’s going to happen again?” Bianca asked.
Alistair tapped his fingers along the side of his mug. “I don’t know. A feeling, perhaps. Or maybe it’s just preparation. It’s something none of us have ever seen. I don’t like that. It makes me uneasy, which leads to me wanting to understand the problem more, which means we need more information.”
He turned to June. “Are you able to stay?”
June shook her head. “I have my own people to take care of. I’ll be on the next plane I can catch.”
“Fair enough. I appreciate you dropping everything to come here. If I may impose a little more upon you, could you reach out through your contacts to see if anyone has seen this before? Ashley, please do the same, if you can.” He turned to Bianca. “I want you to keep your ear to the ground and your veil up and see if anyone is making noise on this.”
It was my turn. “Ava, I’d like you to call Cade and check in, let him know Lock or Ezra will be driving you home.” I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, he said, “This is nonnegotiable. You’ve expended a lot of energy today and you need rest. The boys are fresh. I’m sending all of you back to Currant. Sid and Bianca included. If my feeling is right, I’ll have a team I know and trust farther out in the field. If I’m wrong, you spend a few days getting paid for sitting around. Sid, get in touch with the drove. See what they can drum up and if they can spare your sister. And I’m keeping your bike another day or two. I want to make sure it’s clean.”
Sid winced. “Not my bike…”
“It’ll be thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated by Mick and his team. I’m waiting for them to handle it because I know you want it back in one perfect piece, right?”
“Right.” He returned to his food, a mournful aspect about him. “You know that where Ikka goes, Olive is likely to follow,” Sid said through a mouthful of food.
“I’m aware that you three are somewhat joined. Normally I would hesitate to include anyone as young as Olive, but I think she defies normality.”
Sid nodded. “She’d just stow away, so might as well give her permission. Keeps you from looking foolish when she shows up anyway.”
Alistair gestured to the cart. “Everyone help yourselves to as much as you wish. After we finish up here, I want you to head out. I need you ready.”
Alistair stood and set aside his now-empty mug. “I’ll send along a runner with various other supplies you might need. Now eat.” The door shut behind him as he left.
We ate our food quickly, then geared up to go. After putting his dishes on the cart, Lock went over to talk to Bianca. I tried really hard not to watch. That way I wouldn’t have the vision of Lock smiling at her, and Bianca touching his arm in a familiar fashion. Nope, not burned into my retinas at all. I feigned a need for the bathroom and stuck my hands under the faucet, hoping no one but me had seen the sparks.
We said our good-byes to June. She would be staying the night at a Coterie hotel before heading out in the morning. I found myself wishing June could stay. She threw Alistair off his game, and it was nice to see him rattled.
Lock got his new van from the lot and pulled it up to the curb so we could all load in.
“A minivan?” I asked as he hit the unlock button. “You taking the kids to soccer practice after this?”
Lock snorted. “That joke was beneath you. And yes, a minivan. How many times did we wish we had a bigger car before? Like that time we had to haul away that half-conscious orc.”
“Or the time we had to move that entire colony of gnomes across state lines.” Ezra snapped his seat belt shut. “I, for one, approve of Lock’s new mom car. Obviously I wouldn’t be caught dead owning one myself, but I like that we can transport a body and have enough cup holders for all of us.”
“Besides,” Bianca added, sliding into the seat next to Ezra, “no one pulls over a minivan.”
“I stand corrected, Lock. Your new car rocks.”
*
THOUGH THE SUN had set, the humidity was thick when I called Cade as the van pulled up to a gas station. He wasn’t happy, but after what we’d encountered earlier, I don’t think he was surprised.
“I really wish you could have had that sample analyzed, Rat.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Sid leaned closer to my ear. “Did you tell him about what happened at the warehouse?”
The problem with having a phone conversation in a car with weres, be they bunny, fox, or anything else, is that they have excellent hearing and eavesdrop whether you want them to or not. I hadn’t been planning on telling Cade about our near-death experience. Since Sid didn’t get any elbows or glares from the other people in the car, I assumed Lock and Ezra approved of me telling Cade everything, which was no surprise. I didn’t much care what Bianca thought.
“Well, I’m going to now,” I said, wishing I’d waited to call until I was alone.
“Tell me what?” Cade asked, his voice getting that strange parental tone telling me quite clearly that I would
spill all or face wrath.
“It wasn’t a big deal. Really. We’re all fine.”
“Ava…”
I sighed. How does Cade manage to get an entire lecture into one word like that? It was no use. I told him the whole thing, Sid occasionally chiming in by shouting next to my ear. I scowled at him. “Do I need to put him on speakerphone?”
“No, I’m done. Besides, I hate speakerphone.”
The phone was silent on Cade’s end, and I could picture him pacing and frowning, turning everything over in his head. “As much as I want you home, I wish Alistair had kept you there for the night. You have to be exhausted. That aside, at least he seems to have your general safety in mind. Keep me updated along the drive. And take care of the boys.” He hesitated. “I’m glad you worked things out with them.”
I grunted.
“You did work things out, yes?”
“Mostly. I don’t want to talk about it,” I said, looking at Ezra. “Big ears.”
“I see. Call Sylvie—see if she can cover your shifts. Watch yourself, Rat. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I texted Sylvie to avoid the listening-in factor, but Ezra tried to peek at my screen anyway. He’s nosy. He can’t help it. It’s a fox thing.
Me: Can you cover my shifts for a few days?
Sylvie-tron 5000: Ooooo, so it was a hot date! I am so proud of you. My little girl is all grown up.…:)
Very few people are listed under their given names in my phone. Ezra’s number came up as Superfox and Lock’s was Flower Power … or at least that’s what his contact was after Ezra got ahold of my phone one day.
Me: What? No. I told you it wasn’t a date.
Sylvie-tron 5000: That’s a crying shame. That guy was ruggedly handsome. Like Han Solo. Or a scruffy Mr. Darcy.
Sid leaned over my phone with a grin. “She thinks I’m a looker, eh? And what date? Did you tell her I was your date?”
“No.” I yanked my cell closer, tipping it away from him. “And mind your own business.”
Me: And full of himself, too. Besides, I thought Lock was your one true love.
Sylvie-tron 5000: He was the Zelda to my Link, but that doesn’t mean biker boy couldn’t be the Princess Peach to my Mario. I have two hearts, like the Doctor.
Sid snatched my phone, cradling it away from me. A scuffle ensued, and before I could get my phone back, Sid had called Sylvie. He held me back with one hand.
“Hello, is this Sylvie?” Sid grinned and continued to slap away my hands until I gave up. If I thought it would be a short conversation, I was wrong. I didn’t get my phone back until we’d gassed up and gone on our way. I’d even had time to get beef jerky and a slushie from the gas station. And, yes, I know we just ate. Firebug. Don’t judge me. Actually, go ahead and judge me. I don’t care.
“She said she can cover your shifts as long as Cade lets her work on her clandestine knitting project at the same time.”
“Clandestine Knitting Project would be a good band name,” Bianca said.
“But you could only do one album, and then you’d have to break up, or you’d become the Knitting Project, and that’s not as good.” Sid dug into his pocket for his own phone but paused. “Why would a knitting project be steeped in secrecy?”
“You and Sylvie sure got cozy fast,” I said with a huff. “She didn’t tell me about her knitting project for days, and I had to pester her to get that much. She’s knitting cardigans for charity or something. Don’t know what kind, only that the sweaters look kinda funky to me.”
“She’s funny. How old is she?”
“Too young,” Ezra and Lock said at the same time. I knew that protective tone well. Defensive shield up—must keep the women-folk safe.
“She’ll be seventeen in a few weeks.” We were planning a movie marathon—Sylvie was still picking the theme—and Cade was going to make a cake.
“See?” Lock said. “Too young for you, lover boy.” He turned in his seat. “Did she ask to speak to me?”
“Nope,” Sid said with a grin. “Besides, she’s not that young. I’m only eighteen.”
“She didn’t mention me at all?” Lock said at the same time I said, “You’re only eighteen?” Sid didn’t look that young. Some guys at eighteen still look half-formed, like they haven’t quite filled out and grown into themselves yet. Not so much our hare friend.
I punched Lock in the arm. “She probably didn’t know you were with us.” My phone beeped.
Sylvie-tron 5000: You should invite Sid to my party.
Me: I bet he’d dress like the Tenth Doctor for you.
Ten minutes went by before I got a reply.
Sylvie-tron 500: Sorry, I got excited and dropped my phone into my frappe. My phone is sticky now but somehow still works. It’s a Christmas miracle. Do you really think Sid would dress as the Doctor?
Me: You’re so easy.
*
IT WAS LATE when we pulled up my driveway. We had made good time back to Currant, though, stopping only at the gas station and, later, for Dunkin’ Donuts. I don’t know if the world runs on Dunkin’, but me and the weres sure do.
It had been a strangely pleasant drive. Not back to our usual level of comfort, but getting there. Bianca and I barely snapped at each other at all. I was doing my best to remember that she was Lock’s friend now and I needed to make nice. Which was hard because she had the uncanny ability to drive me right up the wall. Luckily I seemed to have the same mystical ability.
Now, as the minivan came to a stop, Bianca turned around in her seat and frowned at me. “Your cabin is two bedrooms, right?”
“Indeed.”
Bianca made a face. “I bet we’re supposed to share a room just because we’re both girls.”
Normally I would have made a face right back and told her we could sleep anywhere we damn well pleased. But then I thought of her sharing the living room with Lock and had to shove my hands in my pockets before the sparks gave me away. Unfortunately, I’d forgotten that my normal clothing had been destroyed, and these pockets weren’t warded like my pants usually were. I may or may not have singed the tops of my thighs.
I shrugged, pretending to be nonchalant. “That might be for the best. Sometimes Lock snores, and Ezra prefers to sleep naked. He usually crawls into the wrong bed, too.” He claims to be sleepwalking, but I don’t buy that for a second. “And who knows what weird thing Sid does.”
Bianca grimaced. “Fine.” She sniffed. “Hey, anyone else smell that?”
“Smell what?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Like smoke.”
A quick look down showed that my pants were the source. I pressed the sweating cup from my slushie against my pockets. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
7
SLAYER WOULD BE SO PROUD
OUR CABIN became headquarters. Cade and Sylvie would be manning the bookstore during the day, so we would generally have the place to ourselves. Sid’s sister, Veronica (Ikka), and Olive joined us about an hour after we arrived, bringing sleeping bags and food. I was still a little fuzzy on how Olive was related to Sid and Ikka. I was fairly sure she wasn’t a sibling, but she never talked about her family, and any inquiries were met with silence or direct threats. But whether she was actually related to them or not, she’d made Sid and Ikka her kin. So we all just treated them like siblings and left it at that.
We were still trying to figure out sleeping arrangements when Cade walked in carrying two deluxe dog beds.
“What are those?” Ezra said, his eyes narrowing. “You don’t have a dog.”
“No, but I do have a house full of people and only a few places for said people to sleep. So we’re going to have to get creative.”
If Ezra had hackles, they would have been up. “I’m still not seeing why you have beds for dogs. There are no dogs here.”
Cade shook his head. “I understand how the label might upset you, but really, I couldn’t leave these in the pet shop for dogs to use.
They’re way too nice.”
Ezra perked up. “Nice?”
Cade settled the beds by the log stove. “Sure. Stuffed with goose down. Thick, quilted fleece top. I guess I could see why you wouldn’t want to use them, though. I’m sure a sleeping bag on the floor would be much better than something like a dog bed.” He surveyed them, hands on his hips. “You’re right. What was I thinking? I’ll take them back tomorrow.”
Ezra examined the beds. “Down, you say?” He stared at the hardwood floor and the pile of sleeping bags and the soft, cushy dog beds, considering. Comfort won over pride. “Let’s not be too hasty. One night. That’s it. But we’re renaming them fox beds. I don’t want to hear any more mention of the D-word.”
Sid grabbed the second bed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. This is clearly a deluxe bed for hares.”
When I went up to my room that night, there was one russet fox sprawled on his new bed, his small booted feet in the air. In a few minutes, he’d curl up into a ball and go to sleep. A few feet away, two large brown hares roosted in the middle of their own bed, with a smaller gray-brown leveret tucked between them. One of Olive’s feet was white. It was cute, which I’d have to mention to her in the morning, but only if I was outside stabbing range. Bianca was still down on the couch, quietly reading, and I assumed she’d come up later.
It was probably the weirdest sleepover in the history of sleepovers.
I climbed up into my loft to find Lock in his pajamas, half-asleep on my bed, like the past few weeks had never happened.
“Shouldn’t you and Bianca switch places? Gotta protect my reputation and all that.”
He opened one eye. “That’s a great idea. You and Bianca sharing a room. Because you get along so well. After you freeze each other’s bras, I’ll have to break up the fistfight and your dad will have to use the fire extinguisher on the new drapes. I’m too tired for such shenanigans.” He flipped a corner of the sheet up so I could climb in. My comforter was folded at the end of the bed. Maine summers tended to stay on the warm side. “No, I figured this would be better.”