Page 110 of The Reign of Blood

That sounds more tempting than it should.

I don’t wait for her as I race down the stairs. The fae in the lounge panic at my approach again, but I step out into crisp night air before they can get too twisted in knots over it.

Surprisingly, Addi is right behind me, body stiff as she comes to a stop before me. My hands fall to her waist on instinct, pulling her in tight as her hands lift to my chest, her fingers playing across my t-shirt as we stare at one another.

I hate that she can say so much without saying a single word, but more than that, I hate that my body reacts to her, no matterwhat. She could hold one of those silver daggers to my throat and my dick would still get hard.

“Are you going to start moving?” she asks, eyes dark as she looks up through her lashes at me. It’s not my fault her scent is intoxicating at this close proximity.

“I was just giving you a second to prepare,” I mumble, and she gives me a pointed stare.

“Right.”

I start moving before she can say anything else, confirming things about me that I don’t want to admit. Because she would. She’s a no-holds-barred woman, and I know, if given the chance, she would make a damn example out of me.

Relishing in her body pinned to mine, I bring us to the outskirts of the compound more quickly than I expected. I release her from my grasp, despite the desire to pull her in closer.

She adjusts the cloak draped around her, lifting the hood over her head, shielding her features from view.

“Keep a step behind me at all times. Follow my directions and don’t question a single thing I say. Understood?” She nods, not uttering a word. I consider pushing her for a verbal answer, but something tells me she’s keeping her mouth shut so I don’t get a blast of her razor-sharp tongue at my demands. “Come.”

I stay in the shadows, and as agreed, she stays a step behind me. We have quite a walk on our hands, but I didn’t want to risk drawing any attention by getting closer. She doesn’t utter a word of complaint as we trudge through the deserted land on the Kenner compound. Trees, shrubs, and overgrown grass are all that surround us. It’s my wolf’s favorite place to be, even if it is the ugliest thing to look at.

The first house comes into view, and I make sure I walk the long way around it, careful not to set off any security features that I know of. Reaching out my hand, I wrap my fingers aroundher arm as I come to a stop, closing my eyes to listen to the noises around me.

Families are in their homes, some putting their children to bed, others bickering about inconsequential shit. All of it means nothing until a name is murmured.

Queenie.

It might be nothing, but it’s the best lead I’ve got.

Meeting Addi’s gaze in the darkness, they somehow still manage to twinkle under the moonlight. I nod, hinting for her to follow me as I release my hold on her arm, and she falls in line once again.

Inching closer to the house in question, I pin my back against the wall and Addi follows suit.

Thankfully, it’s quiet tonight, but that’s why I offered it. My father has dealings on Tuesday nights on the other side of town. That means wolves will either be with him or patrolling the perimeters, leaving the interior a little more accessible for us.

I wet my dry lips and peer through the window to my right. Dalton, my father’s right-hand man, comes into view, and he’s not alone. Right there with him is the woman we’re looking for.

Turning back to Addi, I nod toward the window and trade positions with her. She keeps herself pressed against the wall, and I can hear a shift in her heart rate as she takes a little peek through the window.

“Does my woman need a foot rub?”

“I’ll never say no to one,” Queen Reagan breathes a heavy sigh.

Addi’s hand lifts, clamping over her mouth as she takes another step toward the window. I give her a moment. It’s clear her mother isn’t sad about being here. I don’t know whether she hoped she would be or not, but those groans are of a satisfied woman as Dalton kneads his thumbs into the soles of her feet.

“I love you, Queenie.”

“I love you too, D.”

Addi’s gasp rings in my ears, but it’s quickly overshadowed by the snap of a twig beneath her feet. My body dives into high alert, pulling her back as I take off as fast as I can. There’s no time to think, to consider, to wonder. There’s only time to get the fuck away as fast as possible.

I run until the familiar lights of my favorite diner come into view, not stopping to catch my breath until I hear the chime ring out over the door, confirming my arrival. Eyes dart my way, but my focus is on the woozy fae in my grasp, who is turning greener with every passing second.

“Deep breaths, Addi,” I murmur, stroking her arm in comfort, and she scoffs.

“It’s embarrassing how many times you’ve said that today,” she muses, eyes pinched shut. She silently lifts her hand to my throat while resting her other palm right above my heart. My throat clogs with undeniable feelings as she repeats the same motion I had her do earlier.

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