Logan gave me a sultry side glance, eyes half lidded. “From day one. Although I was in denial for a little bit. Might have been because you punched me in the face and nearly broke my ribs.” He winked, and then let his eyes shift back to the road. Oops. I didn’t even remember doingthat.
Well,vaguely.
“You caged me,” I growled indefense.
His hand slipped into mine and a contented sigh escaped me. The adrenaline high of being on the run had worn me down and sleep was dragging at the corners of my mind. A soft sliding noise behind me forced my eyes to snap open, and a hand suddenly plopped a feisty mewing Mittens on mylap.
“She’s attacking Sophie,” Eva’s voice called out softly from behindme.
I rubbed Mittens between the ears. “Goodgirl.”
“I heard that,” Sophie growled, but I could hear her smile. We had reached some kind of bitchy mutual friendship that I was okay with. Besides, she had Ruben to obsess over now, so Logan wasmine.
It was silent but I knew Eva was still looking at me. I could see her from my peripherals. The window was still down. I could barely look her in the eye. I felt too awful for betraying her and going toJeanine.
“Sloane,” she said finally, “if I would have known you were going to run … that you would take the news that badly, I never would have told you.” I could hear guilt in hervoice.
I turned to face her, tears welling in my eyes. “I know. I’m sorry. I just couldn’t handle it. I couldn’t handle knowing I was half monster. That I was living in a house full of people who hated what I was.” The car went eerily silent then and I was surprised at who chose toreply.
“You’re nothing like them,” Dom’s deep voice echoed throughout thecar.
“Here, here!” Danny called out, and I heard the clinking ofglasses.
I turned fully around, eyes wide, to see there was a disco light on in the limo and it was spinning, causing lights to dance across the faces of my clearly intoxicated friends. Each one had a shot glass in hand. “Are you guys getting drunk?” I asked,mystified.
“Operation: Save Sloane, was a success. We’re celebrating,” Keegan said. “Besides, with our metabolism, the buzz will be gone in less than anhour.”
I just laughed and Eva’s hand reached out and grasped my shoulder lightly. She leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “We’re going to see my friend now, honey. The druid I told you about. He’s the only one that can help younow.”
Logan didn’t seem to like that, because his grip on my hand tightened. I stared straight ahead as a lump of fear formed in my chest. Now that she mentioned it, I noticed we were driving away from Arizona and towards San Francisco. Holy shit, I was going to willingly meet and possibly train with adruid. Why else would they be bringing me to him if not to train withhim?
‘Don’t worry. I’ll protect you,’Logan spoke softly in mymind.
I whipped my head to the side and just stared at him. ‘We need to lay down some boundaries for the mind speakthing.’
He grinned. ‘Mind speak, I like that. Eva can make it so you don’t project so loudly. It happened with the whole pack at first. Dom is a closet Princefan.’
I grinned. Good toknow.
‘Just give me privacy until then, please,’I toldhim.
He nodded. ‘Unless you try to run away again. Then I’m going to be all up in yourmind.’
I smirked and leaned closer, laying my head on his shoulder. My dragon pulsed, sending warmth down my legs as I breathed in hisscent.
‘I’m never leaving you again. I promise.’My heart couldn’t take it if I did. It was the last thing I said to him before I fell asleep, with Mittens on mylap.
* * *
“Sloane!”Logan was shouting, shaking my shoulders. I jolted awake, looking around frantically. I had fallen asleep in the front seat of the limo, and now we were pulled over with the entire pack outside of the car. My side of the car’s door was open and Logan was leaning over me, shakingme.
“I’m awake! What’s wrong?” Then I saw it. Gear’s bird was lying in Nadine’s lap, his wing bent at an odd angle, nearly tornoff.
“Should he shift?” Nadine was askingEva.
“No way! His arm could sever. Stay in bird form, Gear.” Eva pointed a finger at the falcon and then crisped her suit, turning onme.
“You!” Shepointed.
