Page 39 of Watch Me Burn

Did I honestly expect anything else from him?

I offer him a thin-lipped grin. “Will do. But thanks. I appreciate the save. And I guess, if you’re cool with staying down here, helping me search, I don’t mind.”

He opens his mouth. I’m betting he’s about to say something along the lines that there’s no way he’s going to let me head any further into the cave system, but then his nostrils flare.

Conall’s eyes flash, so brightly I swear they outshine the flames. “Why do I smell blood?”

Blood? I glance down, trying to get a look at my leg. “It’s probably my leg. I’m pretty sure I scraped the hell out of it.”

“Are you okay?”

“It barely stings. It can’t be that much blood, and I’ll clean the cut out when I’m done.”

I mean it. Who knows what kind of germs are down here? But I haven’t come all this way to head back now, and I’m ready to argue with Mr. Grump when he inevitably commands that I return to Dyea with him.

Once again, he surprises me.

There’s a long pause, and then he grates, “Which cave were you searching for first? Let me see your map. I’ll lead you there, then we’ll get back faster to take care of that.”

“You’re still going to help me? Even after I left without you?”

Really?

“My job is to keep everyone in Dyea safe. Something tells me that I’ll either be spending my time doing everything I can to stop you from leaving the village so I won’t be any help there. Or I can help you find whatever it is you’re looking for as soon as possible, you won’t have any reason to go outside of the sanctuary, and you’ll be safe with the other villagers.”

He has a point. If his wolf is convinced that he needs all of us where he can make sure we’re not in trouble—or trouble ourselves—then either way, Conall will be focused on me. He might as well help me find the fire opal quickly, then go back to his normal duties.

“And Mayor Lou won’t mind?”

In my firelight, Conall’s wolf shifter eyes glitter almost wickedly. “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the mayor tends to spray more when I’m nearby. He can’t help it. It’s an instinctive reaction. He’s prey. I’m a predator. Even if he’s the mayor, his skunk knows better than to piss off a lone wolf. He won’t have a problem if I take some time away from the village.”

I peer at him through the fire. “Are you terrorizing that nice mayor?”

“Not at all. I don’t try to scare him. It happens. And I stopped huffing and snapping my teeth at him whenever he gets some of his stink in my fur. I’m an Alpha damn saint to Lou, and he understands that someone in Dyea needs to be fierce enough to keep the vampires in line. Otherwise they might form their own Cadre and take over.”

“Not Elise,” I say loyally. “She’d never do that.”

Conall’s expression turns unreadable, even with the fire reflecting off of his pupils. “That’s what you think, Red. Can’t say the same about the other corpses. If I had my way, none of the bloodsuckers would’ve been granted sanctuary.”

I put my free hand over my heart and gasp.

His brow furrows, ducking his head to search my face. “You okay?”

I drop my hand. “Yup. Just a heart attack at howshockingthat revelation was. Two big, bad predators not getting along? Wow. Alert the news.”

Conall shakes his head when he realizes I’m fucking with him. “They’re dangerous.”

“Funny. You saidIwas dangerous.”

“You are, Red.”

“Is that it, then? Is that why you keep acting like you want me gone? Am I another one of those people you think shouldn’t have been allowed to come stay here?”

CHAPTER 13

FITTING

Suddenly, I’mveryinterested in his answer.

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