“I’m not the mail.”
“No,” I agreed. “You’re not. You, my beautiful friend, are Etta Windsong. Independent, smart, funny—”
“Sexy,” she added.
I grinned. “Definitely sexy.”
Her smile turned to a frown. “But you think I ought to talk to Bette.”
“I do,” I said. “You were sent to her for a reason. You don’t have to become besties with the woman, but she might be able to fill in the blanks here. Like how you jumped out of your body and how you made that stuff on the table float around. And how your wolf was taken from you. You write research papers for your college courses. Treat Bette like another resource. Get the information you need and be done with it. Be done with her if that’s what you want. You heard what Sunny said. Tomorrow is the vernal equinox, and we have got to get ready for whatever happens.”
“How does William keep finding me? I haven’t had any contact with him in four years. Pete said he could track my essence. Do you think that’s true?” She didn’t wait for me to answer. Good thing, because I was clueless. Etta threw up her hands. “Bette said he wanted my essence. Which sounds pretty freaking horrible.” She rubbed her arms as goose bumps raised on her skin. “I don’t feel like myself. I’ve spent so long trying to reinvent myself, and now I would give anything to be back to my normal lycanthrope self.”
“You’re still you.” I sat down next to her. I took a burger from the bag, unwrapped it, and put it on her plate, along with a basket of fries. “Eat. You need to keep up your strength.”
She met my gaze. “Why are you here?”
“Because I’m your anchor, remember? Your song dog.” I made a soft ahh-rooo sound, then chuckled. More seriously, I added, “Because you need me.”
“I do.” She took my hand. “You make me feel safe.”
The corners of my eyes softened. “You make me feel wild and out of control.”
She smiled. “Do I?”
“Yep.” I leaned over, our shoulders brushing together, and I kissed her. Whew. The gentle pressure of her lips on mine sent a surge of heat and adrenaline through my body. Holy cow. Talk about feeling wild. I grinned as we parted. “Now eat.”
She nudged me with her elbow. “You got it, song dog. You know,” she said, after scarfing down half her burger. “I wanted to hate this burger as much as I hate Bette. I can’t. It’s freaking delicious, and the fries are as crispy as my mood.”
I laughed, then leaned in and nipped her neck. “I have a remedy for that mood.”
She giggled, and the sound was pure joy. I knew at that moment I would do anything necessary to make sure she was happy. Including fighting a monster named War. But seriously, did his name have to sound like he was one of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse? I’d have felt better if his name was Bunny or something else fluffy and harmless.
“I’ll see her tonight,” Etta said after finishing the whole burger. “You’re right. I need information about what’s happening to me and how I can stop William from doing whatever William is going to do to me.” She slumped in the chair. “Why is this my life?”
“Bad genes,” I teased.
She gave my shoulder a punch. “You’re full of sass.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Doc and Chavvah entered the cabin, and I don’t think I’d seen the man look so flustered before. I knew from personal experience that hearing from your dead mom could take a toll. He had my sympathy.
“I’m going to talk to Bette tonight,” Etta told him. “She has information that can help me fight William. I’m sorry, Doc. I don’t want you to feel like I’m betraying you.”
“She’s not,” I attested. “It’s taking everything she has to not throat punch the woman.”
Doc scratched his head and nodded. “It’s okay. I’ll go with you. I think we both deserve some answers.”
I pivoted my gaze to Chav. “We’re going to, right?”
“Damn skippy,” she said. “Not even hellhounds would keep me away.”
“Good,” I told her, and everyone else in the room. “Just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page.
* * *
Etta – a fighting chance.
