Detective Sandoval snorted. “If we did, I doubt we’d be here. But there are five kids missing, and every cop instinct I have is telling me that if we don’t do something soon, no one is ever going to see them again. Why don’t you tell us what we’re up against so we can help get them back?”
Each of the cops with Sandoval nodded at that, their faces full of determination.
Connor glanced at his pack mates, who nodded as well.
“We can use all the help we can get,” Rachel murmured.
Connor hesitated for a moment, then finally unlocked the gate and opened it, motioning Detective Sandoval and the other cops in.
“If we’re going to do this, you might as well come into the training building and have a seat,” Connor said. “After you hear what we have to tell you, you’re going to need it.”
When they were all back inside and Detective Sandoval and the others were sitting down, Connor and his pack mates took turns telling them everything. Well, everything except the part about Kat living most of the past four years of her life as a cat and that she was on top of Marko’s most-wanted list. They also left out the whole werewolf thing. But other than that, Connor and his teammates were surprisingly honest.
There were a lot of stunned looks and mutters of disbelief when they were finished.
“You can’t be serious, right?” Sandoval said. “Magic?”
Connor didn’t even blink. Instead, he glanced at Kat. “Are you up to giving them a demonstration?”
Kat blinked, a little surprised by the request. But one look at Sandoval and his fellow detectives and she knew that a demonstration of what she could do was the only way they’d believe magic existed.
Nodding at Connor, she stepped forward. Since she was still a little tired from yesterday, she decided to do something small. Holding out her hand, palm up, she made a circle with the index finger of her other hand above it, creating a perfectly formed globe of light. Detective Sandoval and the others stared at her like they couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Before anyone could say anything, she wiggled the fingers of her free hand, turning the sphere into a tiny flame, letting it flicker for a moment before extinguishing it with apoof.
“Believe in magic now?” Connor asked.
Sandoval let out a slow breath, regarding Kat in amazement before turning his attention to Connor. “Okay, let me see if I’ve got this right. You think Marko and his coven will be somewhere inside the Sam Houston Trail Park a little while before sundown, preparing to murder those poor kids as part of some scheme to make himself more powerful. Gage and the rest of your team are heading to the park right now hoping to find where Marko plans to conduct his ritual while the rest of you are going to wander around the neighborhoods near the park on the off chance you stumble on where they’re holding the kids. Did I miss anything?”
“Nope,” Connor said. “That pretty much sums it up. We could use your help searching those neighborhoods, if you’re willing. The fact that Marko and his coven won’t recognize you would definitely be a big advantage.”
Sandoval and his fellow detectives immediately agreed, moving closer to the map still being displayed on the projector screen, pointing, and taking notes on how best to split up to cover the large area.
“Where are you thinking of starting?” Kat asked Connor as she stood beside him in front of the map. “Maybe somewhere close to the farmhouse and go from there?”
Connor nodded, then took her hand and led her into the hallway. Tuffie followed, standing beside them and tilting her head, gazing up at them curiously.
“I was thinking that maybe you should head back to the apartment for a while so you can get some rest before tonight,” Connor said softly.
When she opened her mouth to say she didn’t need to rest, he gently put a finger to her lips.
“You need to recharge, or you won’t be of any use tonight when everything goes down,” he pointed out. “Take my truck and go home. Get something to eat, then crawl into bed and sleep for a few hours. Do it for me if for no other reason.”
The idea of trying to sleep without Connor’s arms wrapped around her was a frightening concept, but she had to admit he was right. She’d gotten some rest last night, but not enough. If she was going to trade spells with Marko in a few hours, she needed to reenergize some.
But still…
“This isn’t some kind of trick, is it?” Kat asked, having visions of waiting and waiting at the apartment as sunset came and went, without Connor ever showing. She knew that even with his truck, she’d never find the park. She was horrible with maps and even worse with navigating around big cities. “You’re not planning to leave me behind for my own good, are you?”
When he gave her a sheepish look, she knew that the thought to leave her behind had at least crossed Connor’s mind.
“The only reason I would ever consider something like that is because I love you and I can’t stand the idea of you getting hurt.” He sighed. “But because I love you, I’d never take away your choice to decide something like that.”
Kat stood there, stunned. They were soul mates, so obviously she’d known there were intense feelings between them. And yeah, she was ready to admit—to herself at least—that she was in love with Connor. But hearing him say the words out loud stole the air right out of her lungs. She wanted to tell him that she loved him in return, but she simply couldn’t get her mouth to work.
Connor’s eyes widened, and he immediately started to stammer. “Crap. I’m sorry. I should never have dropped that on you out of the blue like that. It’s how I feel, but I don’t want to make you think you have to say anything in return. I didn’t mean to put you under any pressure.”
She went up on her toes and kissed him until he stopped talking. Only then did she pull back and smile at him. “There’s no pressure, silly. I love you, too. I have for an embarrassingly long time—like back when I was a cat. But thank you for saying it. It’s exactly what I needed to hear right now.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but she silenced him with another kiss while Tuffie sat there with a big doggy grin on her face.
