Page 33 of Shadows of the Soul

Dave pinned Dayna with his suspicious attention. “What happened?” he asked the second we were alone.

She sighed and swept her hair out of her face. “They ambushed me. Lucifer and his demons caught me in the herb garden out back. I never saw them coming. They didn’t trigger any warning system because they simply stepped through the dimension, not over my wards.”

“But you could have prevented them from getting in the house,” I pointed out.

She grimaced. “He threatened to go find one of my sisters if I didn’t cooperate. I thought with Cora coming, she’d have backup and we’d have a greater chance of learning what he wants with no bloodshed.”

I pressed my lips together and frowned. “We are weaker apart. Perhaps it’s time to regroup.”

“Do you know what he wants?” Dave asked, switching his attention to me.

“What all self-absorbed overlords want. Power.”

“And what has that got to do with you?” Dave pushed.

I cast a glance at the three curious supernaturals surrounding me. “He believes my gifts would give him access to more power.”

“Your retro gift?”

I stared at the cutlery on the table. “It’s linked to it, yes.”

“What aren’t you telling us?”

“That’s enough,” Hudson intervened before the conversation descended into a fight. “She’s been through enough. I’m sure if there is something important to share, Cora will do that.”

Dave huffed, leaned back, and folded his arms. “Help me understand how you know Lucifer.”

Thin ice, Cora. Tread carefully.“He’s had dealings with my family before.”

Dayna didn’t even blink at my side. “That’s right,” she said. I was lying, kind of, and she backed me up. That was family for you. Dave narrowed his eyes on Dayna as Marla appeared with four plates stacked up her arms. She slid the giant burgers to the men, then the less offensive ones to me and Dayna. Dave and Hudson tucked into theirs before I’d even picked up my fork. Saved by cow corpse.

***

Hudson proved to be a comfy pillow as the carbohydrates hit my system and I passed out for the rest of the journey.

“Cora,” Hudson whispered in my ear. “Wake up, we’re home.”

I jerked awake and swiped my lips with the back of my hand. Damn it. We weren’t at the drool on each other stage of our relationship.

Hudson chuckled. “You can drool on me anytime.”

I said that out loud?Get your head together, Cora.I stretched my arms as Dave stopped the car. The front door swung open and our welcoming committee appeared consisting of two vampires, one shifter, and a ghost. It was a regular supernatural hangout.

My door popped open and Hudson offered me his hand. I took it and slipped out of the back seat and onto the ground.

“Ooh, what did I miss?” Rebecca asked with a gleam in her eye as she swept toward us in a puff of white tulle. Guess we were rocking the vampire princess look today.

Sebastian frowned at my hand in Hudson’s. “Yes, what did we miss?”

I waved at Dayna, trying to redirect their attention. “We rescued Dayna and she’s okay.”

Sebastian folded his arms. “Clearly, but tell us something that’s not obvious.”

“They’re mated,” Dave announced.

“We are not mated.”

“As good as,” Hudson said.

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