She’s right, this is crazy. It’s like teaching a wolf to herd baby chicks. He’s in an entirely different league.
I fixed my posture and stood up straighter. “He insists he’s my partner. If he wants to claim that, he’s got to operate like a proper partner and carry out task force assignments.”
Sunshine shifted her gaze from me to Considine, waiting for a response.
Considine smiled—the devastatingly dangerous one he used as Ruin whenever something pleased him. “In that case, I better make sure I pay attention. Please, Sunshine, explain.”
“Hmm.” Sunshine chewed her lower lip, then nodded. “Yeah, okay. I’ll do it—we don’t have any sensitive cases in this room that would be dangerous for you to see. Step behind the counter, please. I’ll begin by showing you the filing system—though if you need a case, you should really ask one of us techs to find it.” Sunshine ducked under the go-through counter. “On a totally unrelated side note, this area is under magical surveillance, in case you were wondering.”
Considine flipped the counter up, then motioned for me to pass through first. “I wasn’t, but I suppose it is reassuring to know the Curia Cloisters has some magical measures in place within the Department of Supernatural Law Enforcement. It’s encouraging to think my donation might actually be used in a fiscally responsible way.”
“Mmhmm,” was all Sunshine said in response. “Let’s begin here. Cases are stored in a specific filing system…”
I watched Considine, who appeared to be listening to Sunshine—which, weirdly had me more spooked.
I’d half wanted him to protest and complain—that would hint that he was here for…something.
Something besides me.
CHAPTER
TWO
Considine
The sun peeked over the horizon, casting onto the road a golden hue that Jade probably would have called beautiful.
My first shift with her had ended not even half an hour ago. After confirming Jade made it back to her apartment, I’d left. I needed to get out to Drake Hall as soon as possible if I wanted to rouse the snake-brats before they’d started sleeping.
I tapped my index finger on the leather steering wheel, then eased the car into a necessary turn.
Since I wasn’t hiding my location anymore, I’d had one of my human employees purchase a car for me. Normally I would have borrowed one of Killian’s just to bother him, but I didn’t want to give him any kind of edge against me.
Not that I thought the youngest—and my favorite—of the Dracos offspring would fight me. But I was setting up in his territory, which he ran as the vampire Eminence of the Midwest, and he already knew more about Jade than I wanted him to. I wouldn’t go out of my way to irritate him until I had a better idea of where we stood.
The road blazed through farm fields—all of which were plowed or harvested as the Midwest was inching out of autumn and heading into winter.
My phone rang, the ringtone erupting from the car’s speakers since I’d taken the time to sync my phone with it.
A glance at the car’s console revealed it was Killian calling me back.
I tapped my car’s touchscreen to accept the call, then leaned back in the driver’s seat. “Killian.”
“You rang?” Killian’s voice dripped with a smug condescension he’d been flashing since he and his minions picked me up at the hospital I’d left Jade in last week.
“Yes. I wanted to let you know I’m on the way to Drake Hall—in case you’re holing up with your One in her wizard House.”
“What timing! I also happen to be on my way to my home. Can I inquire what purpose inspired a visit from you?”
I eased my foot on to the brake. I was coming up to the turn into Killian’s annoyingly long driveway, and I didn’t quite remember where the entrance was on the road as I’d flown in using my bat form for previous trips to avoid being followed by his eagle-eyed offspring. “I’m going to talk to your siblings.”
“About what? They haven’t been doing anything besides lazing around myhome, bothering my Family,and consuming an excessive amount of blood.”
“I’m going to tell them about Jade and the task force.”
The smug condescension was gone, replaced by genuine surprise. “Already?”
“Yes.”
