CHAPTER
ONE
Jade
My ears rang—something I thought only happened when I was in physical danger of dying. Maybe I was. Considine had his arms locked around me—keeping me flush against his chest—and heart failure would be a natural byproduct of that kiss he’d just laid on me.
“Sorry, Sarge. Could you repeat that?” April requested, reminding me I was standing in the meeting room full of all my squadmates who’d just witnessed the aforementioned kiss.
Yes, death is coming. No wonder my ears are ringing.
Sarge cleared his throat and rested his hands on the wooden podium positioned at the front of the meeting room. “As I said, Considine is Blood’s permanent partner.”
I considered releasing the tight-fisted grasp I had on Considine’s uniform—which was almost certainly going to wrinkle it—so I could check my pulse.
Considine shifted, trying to scoop me closer for some unknown reason, and my arms and fists wedged between us were the only thing that kept him from succeeding.
Nope, not letting go.
Tetiana stood and snapped off a nod to our squad’s sergeant, flicking the ponytail of her blonde hair. “Considine Maledictus—formerly known to us as Ruin-the-micromanager-who-could-kill-us-with-his-eyes-closed—is now Blood’spartner?”
Sarge surveyed the meeting room. “Yes.”
The room was silent for approximately two seconds before pandemonium broke out.
“No way!” Juggernaut shouted.
“Put a cork in the potion, because it’s brewed!” Grove declared.
A low, warning growl rippled out from Binx, and Medium-Sized Robert shifted in his sturdy chair.
Brody leaped to his feet, tipping his seat over. “How do we know we can trust him?”
“As I said earlier, the order came from upper management,” Sarge said.
“That’s hardly reassuring,” Juggernaut sputtered.
Sarge’s shoulders moved up in a barely observable shrug. “Considine is here because he wants to protect Jade. Who are we to argue against having one of the most powerful supernaturals in Magiford on our payroll for a fraction of the price his protection would usually cost?”
I let go of Considine’s uniform and pushed off him, twisting free of his grasp so I could face my boss. “You actuallybelievehim?” I asked, my surprise shaking me out of my frozen state.
“You don’t? You wound me, Breakfast.” Considine tried to reel me closer for another hug.
I applied an elbow to his throat to get some space between us.
I need to be able tothink! His closeness isn’t helping!
My mind raced with panic, but I couldn’t organize my thoughts to get any sort of coherent observations about…this.
Sarge’s silvery eyes gleamed as he studied Considine and me. “Yes, I believe him.”
I stared, fish mouthed, at Sarge.
He’s serious. He really thinks Considine…fancies me?
That was what Considine had said approximately two seconds before kissing me, that hefanciedme.
Who even knows what that means? Considine is—I don’t even want to consider how old he is. Fancies could mean anything!
