“Very gay.”
Kyle chuckled. “Sorry to be rude enough to ask. Google it and leave a business—do you have a business card?”
“I have my own company, so the answer is yes, I have a business card.” I pulled my wallet out and retrieved one, leaving it on the table. “
“I’ll call you about Avery. Nice to meet you, Holden. Don’t hurt my friend.”
I snapped a quick photo of the pill bottle and stood from the table. As I walked down the hallway, Brooke stuck her head out with her cell phone against her chest. “He’s out of surgery and stable. He had a subacute subdural hematoma but they were able to deal with it. They’re going to keep him in a coma for a few days to give his brain time to heal. Google the pills.”
She closed the bedroom door.
I let myself out, locking their apartment door before heading down the hall to the elevator. When I got inside the car, I had no service, but as soon as I got out of the damn thing, I was Googling my fucking heart out.
Chapter Twenty-One
Avery
EZ, the hell hounds, and I walked, but I had no idea how far or how long because I had no concept of time or distance. There was light, but not sunshine to gauge what time of day it was. I was with EZ and two of the biggest canines I’d ever seen in my life, so I wasn’t worried about being harmed.
I hoped, though, that Holden and my parents weren’t too worried about me and that nothing happened to me while I was gone. It sounded weird when I thought about it—nothing happening tome. I wasn’t withme, so I had no idea what was happening.
As we approached a shadow, the dogs began growling and pulling at their leashes.
“It’s about damn time.”Happy’s voice sounded in my head again.
“Happy’s here,” I whispered to EZ.
“Can you run fast?” The dogs were straining against his grip.
I nodded. “I’ll do my best to keep up.”
EZ pulled them closer to him and knelt. He spoke to them quietly in an odd language before reaching to unclasp the leashes. They stayed next to him without the tether, seeming to wait for his orders.
“Hal, no! I told you I’m not going! Help!”Happy sounded scared, which I wasn’t used to hearing.
“Now!” I shouted.
“Go!” The dogs turned and ran at EZ’s instruction, reminding me of the time Kyle and I went to the greyhound races in Fort Myers, Florida, during spring break. When EZ’s hounds stretched out to run, they had to be at least ten feet long.
I tried to follow, but those supernatural beings seemed to have mastered the laws of physics by running faster than I’d ever seen. I, however, was running blind at a too-slow pace.
Suddenly, someone or something grabbed my throat and body-slammed me onto something hard, or so it sounded.Thankfully, it didn’t hurt. “Not your fight.” A mask of some sort was put over my eyes. Now I couldn’t see anything.
An instant—or maybe a year—later, the mask was gone and I could open my eyes. There stood Holly Rose.
“What happened?”
She smiled. “EZ—or rather, Hellfire—apprehended Hal, and he’s gone. I don’t know how much I should—”
“Uh, EZ gave me the Cliff-notes version. Who grabbed me?”
Happy’s worried expression morphed into the biggest smile. “Me!Turns out I’m as strong as the other spirits! I haven’t tried anything to test my strength or speed, but as I told you more than once, I will do anything to keep my heart around for those I love. You happen to be the vessel where it beats and loves, so I gotta look out for you.”
I grinned. “So, uh, we found you, I guess.” She was truly one of a kind. I was lucky to have a part of her with me as long as I drew a breath. I hoped her brother felt the same way.
“You? I think Hellfire found me.”Happy giggled.
“Yes, but he sniffed me to get your scent since I have your heart. Then, he took off. I think I’m partly a hero here, along with Hellfire.” We laughed at my stupid statement.
