Great.
EIGHTEEN
An Unpleasant Walk Through the Folly
“Let me do a little research,” Bracken said. “I’ll get back to you once I have something helpful.”
“Thank you,” I said and disconnected.
While Dave and Clive discussed the pooka possibility, I went to the dining room window and looked out on the dark, empty road and park beyond. I didn’t see anything at first. The trees were blowing in the wind off the ocean, but I didn’t see—there it was. A black cat sitting by the trunk of a huge tree, right between me and the bar entrance. Shit.
“Hey, Clive?”
Not a moment later, he wrapped his arms around my waist. “I see him.”
“Oh. That statue cat over there?” Dave asked, looking out the kitchen window.
“Yep.” It gave me the creeps.
“I know this is a big ask,” Clive began, “but I need you to change how you get to work. No more running across the green and down the stairs. You and Fergus can go through the folly.”
“And no jogging,” Dave added. “It’s too dangerous until we figure out how to kill him.”
“And is there a reason the menfolk think they have a right to tell me what I can and can’t do?” I was trying really hard not to be annoyed.
Clive kissed my ear. “Sorry, darling, but he has clearly taken an interest in you. He spoke to you, planned to kill you, and instead you cut off a hand and stabbed him in the chest.”
I looked over my shoulder at him. “You just tried to slice him in half with my axe.”
“Yes, and I missed.” He tightened his arms around me. “I don’t like it when deadly creatures take an interest in you.”
Dave chuffed a laugh. “Pot. Kettle.”
I gave him a dirty look, not that he noticed.
Clive kissed my neck. “That’s my fear. Did my taking an interest in you alter the path of your life to a far more deadly one?”
I turned in his arms. “My sorcerer aunt was trying to kill me long before I met you. Then there was my—what—half cousin who attacked me. My life was messed up B.C. Before Clive.” I went up on my toes and kissed him.
“I’m out of here,” Dave muttered.
I broke away. “Wait. Not the front door. It’s too obvious. If he wasn’t watching when you arrived, there’s no need for him to see you now.” I pointed to the back door. “Go out that way, hop the wall, and then come around the corner, like you’re leaving someone else’s house.”
“Yes,” Clive said. “We’ll watch from here. See if he moves.”
Dave changed directions. “Fine.” He left and a few minutes later jogged around the corner, got into his car, and drove away.
When I looked back at the green area for the cat, my heart stopped. The silhouette of a large, muscular bald man now stood beneath the tree.
Clive pulled me away from the window. “Please, love. Don’t go out there. I’m bloody useless fifteen hours a day in the summer. Until we figure out how to deal with this thing, I need you to stay away from him.”
I rubbed my hands up and down his arms. “Yeah. I can do that.”
He kissed me. “Why don’t you go to bed now. You need sleep. I’ll contact Cadmael and Vlad. There’s no point in them standing around the wharf when we know he’s across the street.”
I nodded and slapped my thigh. “Come on, Fergus. Let’s go to bed.” Unfortunately, it took a long time for me to finally fall asleep and when I did, I was plagued with nightmares about the pooka wearing my likeness to attack others.
I woke to my phone alarm buzzing. I rarely ever needed the alarm; I usually woke early on my own. Not today, though. I didn’t think I finally slept peacefully until Clive came to bed right before dawn. Consequently, I was exhausted and pissed off that this damn pooka was having a grand old time being a murderous psycho. Asshole.
