“I’d wondered if you were a shifter,” Ricky said. “I thought I felt shifter energy, but Brogan only said ghost.”
“Brogan isn’t a strong communicator,” Val said. “How long will this last? How long will you be able to see me?”
“Until I end it.”
Val studied her and there was a change in him, in how he was standing. As if he had been cold and suddenly saw a fire in the night, a place to warm his bones.
Belonging, I realized. He was a ghost, yes, but he was still a werewolf, and werewolves had strong family, strong group, strong pack dynamics.
They needed to belong.
There was hope in Val’s eyes. A hope that he had found a home in this place, a friend in Ricky.
“I suppose Val’s gonna be welcome to hang around from here on out,” I said.
Val’s eyes cut my way, then back to Ricky.
“Not that it matters,” Val totally lied.
“Funny thing about being a Crossroad.” Ricky leaned on the porch rail, her eyes tracking Val, letting him know he was seen, letting him know he was welcome. “I meet many people. I even befriend a few.”
“Obviously your tastes are faulty if you call Brogan your friend,” Val grumbled, though his eyes were still bright, the opportunity of home softening his features.
“Well, Lu-lala puts up with him.” She shrugged. “And I like being around her, so, what’s a gal to do?”
“Also standing right here,” I groused.
Ricky ignored me, but there was a twinkle in her eyes. “You are welcome here, Valentine. Stay as long as you like.”
Val nodded. “Okay. Good. Okay. But I have to help them find the rabbit.”
“She’s living with the werewolves, right?” Ricky asked.
“Living with, worshiped by, protected,” Val said. “She’s with the Riggs.”
“She likes it there?” Ricky asked.
“She likes them. She’s not distressed or hurt.”
“And you plan to take Abbi to Cupid?” Ricky asked me.
“Cupid just asked us to find the rabbit and do the right thing. I don’t know that taking her away from the weres is the right thing.”
“If the god insisted?” Ricky asked.
“If Abbi is the Moon Rabbit, even if she’s not, I suppose she has a say in the matter.”
“That puts you at odds with a god, my friend.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Lordewoofed softly. There was something in the trees.
I straightened. So did Ricky.
“What?” Val asked, then he turned to face the yard.
There was motion in the trees, something large, something that had been watching us for a while. Something quiet.
