Page 85 of Wicche Hunt

“Speak for yourself,” Osso grumbled. “I’m starving.”

Hernández, of course, relented. Neither had eaten anything since breakfast.

Once they were done eating, they moved back into detective mode, asking each of us to give our statements.

Osso tapped his notebook in the table. “You gave him a shove—”

“Two,” I clarified.

“Two. And your uncle gave him one earlier today. Any idea why he kept ending up back here?”

I shook my head. “Originally, it could have been something as simple as he drove this road to and from work, so even though we redirected him, every time he drove by, the obsession was re-engaged. Today, though, I felt my cousin, the sorcerer’s hand in it.”

“And this guy was never a client, right?” Hernandez asked. “He never came for a reading?”

I shook my head again. “I’d never seen him before a couple of days ago.”

“He was off,” Declan said. “The first time we noticed him, I caught his scent and wanted him away from her den. I kept putting myself between them and I couldn’t get her away soon enough. He smelled like sickness.”

Osso nodded. “I caught that under the blood, sweat, and gunpowder.” He pocketed the notebook. “Okay. We’re going now. You should be fine,” he said to me. “He’s the one with the gun. He’s the one who pulled the trigger. You can’t be held responsible for his gun backfiring.” He gave me a look. “At least not in a human court.”

“I guess that’s something,” I said, walking them to the back door.

Once they were gone, the door locked and the shutters drawn, Declan threw me back over his shoulder and took the stairs to my loft two at a time.

THIRTY-THREE

Death by Boat

“Remember where we were?” he growled, referring to our time in the reading room.

“Up against a wall?” I was bracing myself on his butt, trying not to laugh.

Instead of dropping me to the floor or tossing me on the bed, he slid me from his shoulder and down his body, his hands on my butt, holding me a foot off the floor.

Mouth on my neck, he walked us over to my bed and turned, falling backward to keep me on top. Such a gentleman. I straddled him, grinding down just a little. On a groan, he unhooked the straps of my overalls and relieved me of my top.

Rolling us over, he climbed off the bed and then yanked off my overalls, taking my shoes and socks with them. His gaze lazily roamed. “I’ve been dreaming of you all day.” He quickly undressed and then pounced.

At turns laughing and moaning, we couldn’t get enough of each other. Eventually exhaustion rather than satiation had us both passing out, still twined together.

I woke alone after the sun had risen, but only just. No messages waiting. No one knocking on my door. Flicking my fingers, I opened the shutters to soft pink light. With any luck, the rest of the world would forget all about me and I could get the walls painted. First, though, I needed something to wash off all the death of the last couple of days.

I put on a pair of swim leggings, a long-sleeve rash guard, and water shoes before jogging down the stairs and out the back door.

“Good morning, guys!” I climbed up on top of the railing and dove into the ocean, instantly feeling stronger and more myself. I swam under the deck, looking for Cecil. I was just about to give up and assume he was away from home when a tentacle shot up from a rock, coiling around my ankle and tugging.

Cecil’s color changed as he uncoiled himself, dancing in the water beside me. I put out my arm and he wrapped himself around me, all but one tentacle that he used to point deeper under the deck. I swam where he indicated and found his friend was still here. Ah, young octopus love.

I shall name you Poppy, as she was a beautiful poppy red right now. She undulated in the current, her tentacles recoiling underneath her. In that movement, I saw the eggs she was protecting.

Cecil!I was so excited. We’d soon have baby octopuses floating under my dock. Well, not too soon. As I recalled, they took six months to hatch. Then I remembered another important octopus reproduction fact.You two are still getting along okay, right?His tentacle wrapped around my hand and squeezed.

No going crazy or dying on me, all right? You two are the exceptions to the rule. You’re both going to live long lives, okay? Dad, are you listening? Cecil and Poppy are special.

They both seemed completely fine, but now I was terrified I’d saygood morningand he wouldn’t be there to slap the water. He uncoiled himself and danced beside me again, as though trying to reassure me I didn’t need to worry.I’m holding you both to that.

Something knocked into my shoulder and I turned to see Wilbur racing away. I’m a strong, fast swimmer, but I’m not a seal. He disappeared and I was left spinning, trying to find him before he sneaked up on me again.

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