He seemed like he wanted to say more, so I patiently waited. I didn’t know what to say to prompt him, but maybe if I gave him the chance he’d continue.
Orrin eventually met my gaze. “It is weird, after all, that Considine is taking me on, and that you requested that I be transferred to the task force.”
I smiled at him. “I’m glad.” I glanced back at Considine, then once again peered down the sidewalk. “I think Considine might be a little while. Let’s go check in with Sarge and Captain Reese.”
“I heard that.” Considine burst out of the circle of vampires. The casualness he’d been displaying for the Dracos was gone, and there was a tightness to his expression that made guilt twinge in my chest. “No, you don’t leave without me. Ever.”
I nodded, accepting his paranoia for now. “Okay.”
Considine relaxed—he must have thought I’d fight him on it—then smoothed his hair back. “Well. Good.”
Orrin pulled a pouch of blood from a pocket on his jacket uniform and passed it to Considine.
Considine punctured it, sipped it, then motioned for me to lead the way down the sidewalk.
I studied House Tellier—which stood out from the rest of the human houses on the street with its orange and yellow trim, and unique blend of farmhouse and colonial architecture. It didn’t look any different from usual. I couldn’t feel any magic stirring within it, which was encouraging.
Although, as I watched, Juggernaut leaned over the property fence—which was hip high and wooden with a rustic design—and one of the fence boards ripped free from its nails and walloped his knuckles, making him yelp.
That’s not good…
When we passed by our squadmates, everyone offered us a smile, enthusiastic congratulations, and—in Brody’s case—emphatic backslaps to welcome Considine back.
Considine, Orrin, and I had to edge our way past a bunch of wizards wearing blue and white jackets. I recognized the crest of House Medeis on the breast pockets of the jackets.
Vale—the specialist—stood, chatting with a few of the wizards, but he nodded to me as we trooped past him.
Sarge and Captain Reese stood further down, talking with Adept Hazel Medeis and shooting concerned looks at the house every so often, until we approached them.
“Sir, Captain…Adept Medeis,” I said.
“I believe we’re on a first name basis, Jade. No need for formalities.” Hazel offered me a wan smile, but as soon as she looked back at House Tellier, her forehead wrinkled and her lips slanted down in a frown.
“Blood,” Sarge nodded to me, before his gaze drifted past me. “Considine. I’m glad you’re whole and with us again.”
Considine finished off his blood pouch and took the small bottled potion Orrin offered him—which was roughly the size of a shot glass. “Of course—can’t let a pestilence like Gisila win. What’s the situation?” He motioned with his small potion, caught me looking, then wriggled his eyebrows meaningfully as he shook the potion at me—a clear hint as to why he was drinking it.
“Considine, Blood—oh, and Orrin, hello.” Captain Reese gave us her best attempt at a smile, but she looked tired as she peered up at the sky and the faint yellow of dawn that brushed at the horizon made her steely blonde hair more of a golden color. “I’m glad all three of you pulled through the rescue operation. Well done, Blood.”
“Thank you…House Tellier still won’t let anyone in?” I asked.
“Correct.” Hazel rested her hand on top of the wooden fence, yanking the appendage back when the fence parted to open a gap and tried to pinch her fingers in it. “And the Tellier wizards are holed up inside, refusing to come out.”
Considine polished off his shot-glass sized potion. “Have you tried explaining the situation to the House?”
Hazel blinked in surprise—I don’t think she expected a vampire to make that sort of suggestion as supernaturals generally didn’t know much about each other. “Yes…we didn’t get a reaction.” She waved to someone beyond us, and when I looked down the sidewalk I saw Killian striding in our direction. “It’s encouraging that it isn’t launching an attack on us. But I don’t understand why, then, it isn’t letting us on the property.”
“Hazel,” Killian said as he squeezed between Orrin and me.
He bumped into me, knocking me off balance.
I’d like to blame the tiredness that came from manning two missions in one night for my laxness, but the more likely culprit was my still bubbling relief that Considine was with me once again.
Regardless, I didn’t react fast enough to recover, so I caught myself by planting a hand on House Tellier’s fence.
Stupid—that was a mistake!
My breath cut off as I hurried to right myself and…nothing happened.
