“He didn’t tell you what he wanted you to do but threatened you anyway?” he challenged.
“I don’t think it was really him,” I replied. “It was my subconscious trying to work things out.”
Galen was dubious. “You’ve had prophetic dreams before. He could be trying to contact you from a different plane. What better way to get his point across than to access your dreams?”
Again, that was a good point. “I don’t know,” I said finally. “I don’t know anything, and it’s getting really frustrating.”
“Well, we’re going to start figuring it out.” Galen sounded sure of himself, which made me suspicious in an entirely different way.
“How?” I asked.
“We’re bringing in the whole team, Aurora, Brody, and Lilac.”
“And Booker,” I added absently.
“If he must be part of the team,” Galen replied in a withering voice.
I rolled my eyes. “The fact that the two of you insist on keeping up this charade is really weird,” I said. “You’re not fooling anyone. We all know you’re best friends.”
“We are not.”
“You’ve admitted it before.”
“Was I drunk? You know you can’t take the word of a drunk.”
“You were sober. I’m not having this argument again. I’m going to get you and Booker matching leather Best Friends Forever bracelets, and you’re going to wear them.”
“That sounds like something I would never do.”
“Oh, it’s happening. Otherwise we’ll never play the blue tongue game again.”
“Ugh.” Galen slapped his forehead. “You always know exactly where to hit me.”
“Just out of curiosity — and I’m not casting aspersions on your plan — but what do you think our friends can do?”
“Every community has legends about dhampirs. The sirens have their own stories. So do the cupids. I’m hoping someone has a story about Declan … or the identity Declan likely went under before he returned to the island.”
“I guess it can’t hurt. Are they coming here?”
He shook his head. “We’re going to Gertie’s restaurant. We can talk freely there.”
I was ravenous. “How much time do we have?”
“Enough time to play the blue tongue game.”
“I’m out of ice cream.”
“I’m going to buy enough to keep in the freezer at all times. That was a really fun game.”
“I’m glad you liked it.” I glanced at the clock on the nightstand again. “We should call about Wesley.”
“I’ll do that,” he offered. “You hit the shower. You take longer to get ready than I do.”
“Okay, I know there was an insult buried in that.”
“You can spank me for being a jerk later.”
“You’re buying breakfast too.”
