Page 25 of Lost Girl

“Let’s say everything goes according to plan, yeah? You get the girl out, bring her here. What happens then? They’re obviously going to realize she’s missing at some point or another.”

“Hook will know it was you, especially after you disappeared so abruptly,” Talon adds, to which I shrug.

“He can come for me if he’d like. I don’t particularly give a flying—”

“I’m going to fucking kill you!” My sister’s voice rings out not too far away, rising the hairs at the nape of my neck.

The boys all snap their heads toward the sound right as her stomping form appears through the thicket. She doesn’t acknowledge any of them, storming up to me with a snarl on her lips. I can already feel the force of her shove and she hasn’t even laid a hand on me yet.

Sure enough, the moment she’s within arms reach, she pelts my chest with her palms, backing me off the wooden base and into a rough oak. “In case you didn’t hear me the first time, I’M GOING”—shove—“TO FUCKING”—shove—“KILL YOU!”

I shouldn’t be laughing, I really shouldn’t. Only riles her up more, but this little act of hers is comical.

As fuck.

“What the hell did I do?”

Shouldn’t have said that either. If smoke could literally blow from her ears, it would.

“Are you kidding me right now?” she shrieks, shoving at my chest again. “What happened to ‘I’ll be right back?’”

The boys commence their usual snickering when Tigerlily tries playing mommy, tilting the corner of my mouth in a devilish grin. “What can I say, ‘lil sis? I got caught up.”

“Yeah, caught up with shit you have no business worrying about! The only reason Hook didn’t come after you was becauseIkept him occupied. Then Pa showed up and helped, too, despite not even knowing he was aiding your defiant ass.” She swings, but I dodge her fist of fury with ease, chuckling as I rise to tower over her once more.

“I don’t know why you insist on playing my keeper. I’m a big boy, Lil, I can handle myself.”

“Actions speak louder than words,big bruh.Tell me, did you find what you were looking for?” Her stance is identical to mama’s.

Weight on one hip.

Arms crossed.

Thestare. You know, that stare women give you when they think they’re right.

“Actually,” I lean into her, “I did. Which leads me to my next point. Why were you deflecting earlier?”

Her head flies back, face screwing up in confusion. “Deflecting?”

“Yeah you know, changing the topic, shrugging it off.”

“What could I have possibly been deflecting from?”

“Hook’s dungeon,” I tilt my head aside as her expression contorts all the more.

“This again, Tav? Really?” She sighs, barely restraining herself from sending her eyes in a 360 spin. “For the last time, Hook doesn’t have a dungeon. It was a damned example of the nonsense you seemed to have been imagining the entire time I was gone!”

Nice try.

“You sure about that?”

“Seriously? Yes, I’m sure!” Frustration oozes off of her in waves as her arms fly to her sides.

“EHHH!” Niko squawks behind her. “You’re wrong, little flower.”

This time, she does roll her eyes. Doubtful lips curl, silently daring me to agree with him.

“He’s not fucking with you, Lil. It’s true,” I tell her, tone even, genuine.

---