“Understood,” Orrin said.
Considine, walking shoulder to shoulder with me, watched Orrin—who was leading us. “You like your new toy?”
Orrin tilted his head, then looked back at us. “As a fae, I’ve never been able to wield elemental magic. This is quite fun. It does make me wonder, however, why wizards so frequently act mousy when they could use real lightning in a similar manner.”
“I’ve wondered that as well,” I agreed. “Particularly since they also could technically produce a flamethrower on demand.”
“What are you talking about?” Considine asked.
“You don’t think wizards have the potential to cause mass damage?” I asked, surprised.
“Of course they do, but as humans they have the constitutions of field mice,” Considine said. “If you look sideways at one, they’ll croak.”
I studied Considine’s handsome face for a moment, taking in the glint of his red eyes, the careless grace in the gate of his steps.
Considine caught me watching him and grinned. “Oh, were you finally stunned by my good looks?”
“No,” I said.
Considine sighed. “Well, that’s disappointing. Oi. Orrin. I expect you to put in a good word with Jade for me sometime tonight.”
Orrin stopped admiring his stun gun long enough to peer back at us again. “Why?”
“Why? Because I’m going through a great deal of trouble to supervise you for this little community service stunt. The least you could do is help me improve my relationship.”
Orrin looked down his fine nose at us. “If you think having a fae who is serving community service for committing public damage will help your cause, you are in dire straits.”
Considine dramatically sputtered. “Wow, giving me lip when you’re not even one of my vampire charges? Grove was right. Youareour adopted love child.”
Orrin stared appealingly at me.
“You were the one who engaged him in verbal sparring,” I said. “You should have known better. He enjoys unsettling others.”
Orrin grunted. “I suppose I can only be disappointed in myself.”
Static burst from the speakers on our radio, before Clarence’s voice cut through the silence. “This is Team Fire, on Main Street, by the corner of…uh—we’re across from the grooming salon! Requesting backup! We’ve got a fae fight—” His voice broke off.
“That’s us,” I said. “We’re not far from Main Street.”
Considine already had his radio out and was pressing the necessary buttons to talk. “Team Blood, on the way,” he said before clipping his radio to his belt.
I started off at a slow jog to warm my muscles up, and Considine matched me step for step, shortening his stride so he stayed by my side.
“Wait, we’re going torunthere?” Orrin asked as we jogged past him.
“How else did you think we were going to get there?” Considine asked. “By wishes and a dream?”
“Come on, Orrin.” I called back over my shoulder at him. “Get moving—we have to pick up the pace.”
Orrin jogged after us, keeping up when I increased my pace. “I’m a fae. I’m not built for running,” he said.
“You can run,” I said. “I chased after you in the dark. You were fast.”
“And you almostcaughtme!” Orrin complained.
“Less talking, more running,” I warned. “We’re backup. We need to get there as quickly as possible.”
Orrin snapped his mouth shut and, to his credit, he increased his pace.
