Page 78 of Protection of the Pack

‘Did Ghost get away?’ I asked.

Bastion gave me another look that said I was being naïve. I sighed. Of course the mysterious black-tourney dude got away.

The limousine crunched up the gravel to the mansion. ‘Will you come by tomorrow?’ I asked Bastion. ‘We’re going to get Amber DeLea to scry Archie’s memories.’

‘I’d best not,’ he said after a pause.

‘Why not?’

‘I killed her lover.’

I blinked. At times it was so easy to forget that this taciturn man was a deadly assassin.

‘Yeah, it may be best if you make yourself scarce.’ Amber is as scary as Bastion in her own way. Besides, I wanted her to focus on the task at hand.

‘I will run down other avenues.’

‘Why? I mean why are you helping me so much?’

‘Jessica Sharp sent me to assist you,’ Bastion said finally. ‘I will not fail her.’

‘Well, that’s nice.’ I said faintly. Once again, my best friend was saving my bacon.

Bacon? I could have some bacon.

Not now! It’s bedtime.

Okay, but let’s groom ourselves first.She wanted a shower – she was obsessed with showers. I did have panda eyes and hair full of hairspray, so maybe it wasn’t the worst idea.

Alright,I agreed.

‘I’m turning in,’ I said. ‘It’s late. We can talk more in the morning.’

Bastian gave a regal inclination of his head. Greg and I hauled ass out of the limo and watched it trundle away. The silence hung thicker than an elephant’s wang. Well, this was awkward.

Greg cleared his throat. ‘Goodnight.’

‘Night,’ I squeaked.Awesome, just awesome.

‘I’ll check the security here before I turn in.’

I nodded. ‘Right you are.’Right you are?Ugh. Who even says that? Men usually eat out of my hands, and I let them. Greg, though… I liked Greg. And that kiss had been…

I blew out a breath that misted in the cool air as I watched him go inside. I was achingly tired but my head wasn’t clear. Sleep would be a long time coming if I went to bed now.

Shall we go for a run?I asked Esme.

Always,she responded eagerly.

My dress was utterly ruined so I peeled it off – it could go in the bin. I kicked off my ridiculous heels and shifted into four legs. I let Esme take front and centre and relaxed into her capable paws.

She was happy and alert. She was scenting the air as we trotted round the grounds when she smelled something unusual. The breeze told her the direction it was coming from, and we ran into the rose garden and out the other side. There, chewing on the manicured lawns, was Ares.

I had no idea how he’d got there in the time it had taken us to take two trains and a limousine. I guessed he could just go as the crow flies.

There’s a unicorn on our land,Esme remarked.

So it would seem.

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