“Give me your address, and I’ll come pick you up later. I’ll bring dinner, and then we’ll head over to the church. I’m sure Sarah has updated her husband on everything, so they’ll be waiting with the wine and bread,” I joked, and she chuckled slightly, but it also could have been a snore.
“Go take a nap. I’ll see you soon, kitten.”
“Thanks, Asher,” her sleepy voice mumbled.
“My pleasure.”
“Thanks for not giving up on me, either. House cat and woman, both. Talk to you later,” she whispered, and then ended the call.
She was warming up to me, and thank fuck for that. I needed the woman like I needed the next chapter of a good book.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Echo
I’d slept most of the day, and the few minutes I was awake I ate and read more from the drive Janie had given me.
There was no name in the journal entries, just tales of a time long ago. The Renaissance period, if I remembered correctly from history class. Draco would have been better suited for this than I, but maybe I would see something different than him who remembered the time personally. Unbiased was usually best.
I’d texted Asher my address and rolled over in the bed to look at the small clock on my nightstand.
Ten minutes after eight. He’d be here soon.
Rolling out of bed, I felt like I could have used at least eight more hours of sleep to feel completely refreshed. Being around people like I had been lately was exhausting me.
I threw on some warm clothes and had just put on my jacket and boots when a knock vibrated my door.
“Found the place okay?” I started to say but was knocked back with a hard hit to my chest, knocking the wind right out of me. Instantly, I braced myself and lifted my head to see who attacked me, but he was already on me. A pinching feeling in my neck made me hyperaware of what was happening right now.
The attacker was covered in protective gear from head to toe. I couldn’t get anything, not even if the person was male or female.
Shit.
I fought back even as I felt my body turn sluggish.
The change happened swiftly, though, and before the attacker could do his worst he was confronted by a lion with sharp teeth.
I lunged, and the person kicked out toward my face, hitting me right in the nose, then taking off toward the stairs.
I growled and ran after him, but the drugs really took effect. My legs gave out first, just as the person’s body disappeared beyond the doors and into the night.
Growling again in anger, I lay there, helpless to move.
“Holy shit, Echo!” Asher’s voice hit my ears from the direction of the elevator.
I couldn’t even acknowledge his words.
A door opened across the hall, and Kevin’s annoying voice echoed in the hallway.
“I knew that bitch was a freak. Parking spot will be permanently mine after they kick you out.”
Asher lunged at Kevin the asshole, who wisely went back into his apartment without another word.
“The killer was here?” Asher’s soft hands stroked my fur, feeling my lungs lift my torso up and back down with every exhale.
I wanted to say something to him, anything, to let him know that the killer was probably still close by, and that I was okay, just paralyzed. But I couldn’t.
“I’m going to get the meds out of you, all right? It’s probably going to hurt, since I’m going to use your body’s own metabolism to do it.” His voice was laced with concern.
