It wasn’t only that she was his fated mate.He loved her—he was sure of that now.He’d never told her as much, but he supposed his heart had leaped out of his chest and ran to her the moment she’d walked into the station and announced she was his partner.Regardless of his feelings though, how could she be helping Alex of her own free will after knowing the man killed her father?No.The more he thought about it, the more certain he was that she was infected with sulfralite and under Alex’s control.
He jiggled her key in her lock and let himself into her small home.The stench of melted fabric burned in his throat.Damn.The couch was scorched like a campfire marshmallow.HadSoleil meant to kill him?Would she have stopped if Meredith hadn’t shot her?Maybe.But only because he’d relinquished Nickelova’s heart.
“Meredith?Are you here?We need to talk.”Silently he drew his gun.He had no intention of shooting her if he saw her, but if she was under Alex’s influence, he might have to defend himself.That was the only explanation for what the captain had said.Meredith wasn’t a killer.At least, he believed she wasn’t.
He crept forward, moving past the kitchen to sweep into the bathroom and then the two bedrooms.When he was sure the place was deserted, he reholstered his weapon.
Damn, the place smelled like burnt coffee.He followed the scent to the kitchen where he found the warmer on the ancient Mr.Coffee had burned the remains of a pot to a thick sludge.He turned the machine off, snorting the scent from his nose.
She wasn’t there.And by the looks of things, she hadn’t been since the incident with Soleil.The box of apricot tea she’d said she was going to make him was still on the counter next to two dried-out sandwiches with congealing mayonnaise.
“Shit, where did you go?Does he have you too?”
His head began to pound.He was supposed to keep her safe.If Alex got to her, he’d never forgive himself.
Defeated, he picked up the phone and called Grateful, updating her on what Manahan had told him.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Silas.Nickelova is here, safely behind my enchantment,” Grateful said.“If Meredith has the heart or the book and gave it to Alex, he hasn’t tried to use it yet.”
He ended the call, noticing the photo of her parents he’d seen before on the fridge.Should he call Meredith’s mother?It was possible she’d go to her to hide.He chided himself for not insisting he meet Mrs.Turner when Grayson was still alive.He didn’t even know her first name.He’d have to check with the Lycanthropic Society secretary for her contact information.Resolved that this was a dead end, he turned off all the lights and left for home.
“Be careful.”
Silas jumped at the whisper, turning from his car to find Grateful standing behind him in his driveway.“When did you get here?”
“Just now.Hey, didn’t you give Meredith a free pass through the enchantment around your house?”
Silas frowned.“Fuck.”
“Yeah.So I say again, be careful.”
He crept up the stairs to the front stoop.He could hear Maggie run to the door, her nails clicking on the hardwood.If Meredith had been there recently, he couldn’t tell.What traces of her scent he could pick up could have been from before.He entered the house with one hand on his gun.
“Looks okay,” he said.
Grateful nodded in agreement but didn’t lower her sword as she entered his living room.Silas scratched Maggie’s head, sniffing the air.
“What the hell?”He turned the corner into his kitchen, shaking his head.
“What do you smell?”
“She was here.”
Grateful raised her sword higher.
“She’s not here now.Hours ago.Maybe yesterday.Her scent has faded.But she fed Maggie.She left the kibble out.”
“Why would she come here to feed your dog?”
“I have no idea.”He moved deeper into the room.“The door to my bedroom is closed.I know I left it open.”
“What if it’s a trap?There could be a bomb under the house for all we know, just waiting to be tripped by opening the door.”
“Wouldn’t Nightshade alert you if there was?”
“Nightshade detects supernatural threats, not physical ones.”
“I don’t think there’s a bomb.Why would she feed Maggie and then blow her up?”
