“Starting with Lillian,” I finish, trying to compose myself. “I can’t let that happen. I just…can’t. So yes, I’m brushing this off for now.”
It’s quiet for a moment, and I feel that same uneasy excess of energy that I always do when I wake up. I would love to slip into my regular morning routine to burn off the anxiety—or gods, I could kill for a good fight.
Finally, Silas nods, rubbing his face. “All right,ima sangfluir. Let’s figure out a way to get to Argentina without using magic. The last thing we need is Douglas tracking us from here to your new lead.”
Everett suggests we could charter a selection of private planes to take us there, but Baelfire is still testy and snaps that he isn’t flying unless it’s with his own two wings. Silas tells the dragon shifter to get over himself as he begins slipping any relevant belongings into his pocket void. Crypt glowers silently, still pissed about getting kicked from my dream.
Baelfire tenses abruptly, his head whipping toward the window.
“What is it?” I ask, slipping my hand under my pillow to find that Pierce is there. They all know I like to sleep with my favorite dagger close at hand. I wonder which one of them put it here.
“Howling,” he grits.
Hellhounds.
Immediately, we’re all getting dressed for combat as fast as we can. I don’t realize I’m smiling until Everett sees me and blinks.
“Dear gods. Please tell me you’re not excited for this fight.”
I grin. “Why lie?”
Crypt kisses my cheek on the way out of the room, calling over his shoulder, “Let our girl have her fun. But if she’s injured, I’ll gleefully kill all three of you.”
Everett huffs and crouches down to tie my combat boots.
“I can do that,” I protest.
“I know you can. Just let me, please,” he grumbles, evidently crabby first thing in the morning with an ambush on the way.
Baelfire tips his head, his shifter hearing picking up far more than we can. “They’re getting closer.”
Maybe if you stay in here… Everett begins telepathically, shooting a pleading look up at me.
And let you four have all the fun? Not a chance.
Silas captures my free hand to kiss my fingertips.
Keep in mind that we’re all on a thin ledge right now,sangfluir,he says through the bond.You want us to work as a team, but with only half of us bound to you and Bael quickly losing control…
He trails off, but I see his point.
“You four could stay in here while I deal with it,” I suggest. “There’s just a high chance I’ll lose control, which means you’d have to kill me to snap me out of it once I start?—”
The angry roar that breaks from Baelfire is entirely inhuman, and then he grips his head, grimacing in pain. “Nope. Hell no. That is not a fucking option.”
I study him, noticing the tightness around his eyes and how he grits his teeth. Typically, he fights with his inner dragon on and off, but right now, it’s like a continuous battle.
My cheerful, charming dragon shifter is struggling a lot more than he wants me to know.
If only I knew the reason Everett, Silas, and I were bound, I could try to break his curse, too.
Even if it’s only temporary.
“Fine. Let me handle Douglas,” I tell them, trying to push that aching thought away as I slip on gloves and grab anything we may need in the event of a quick getaway.
Not three minutes later, the howling outside becomes noticeably louder, and then the entire cabin is surrounded by the chilling chorus. Magic flashes outside. I sense their attack on the magic wards a fraction of a second before a hellhound crashes through the living room window.
Everett freezes it immediately, but then they’re coming through the front door and the other windows, howling outside as bounty hunters shout and shots fire. Since chaos has broken loose, I spare no time dashing outside and spotting the leader.
